As Homeless Disaster Grows, Toronto Proclaims Co-op Housing Day
Tom Boland (wgcp@earthlink.net)
Sat, 17 Oct 1998 20:04:53 -0400
FWD media advisory distributed by the
Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto
AS HOMELESS DISASTER CONTINUES TO GROW,
SPOTLIGHT SHINES ON HOUSING CO-OPERATIVES
City of Toronto proclaims Oct.. 15, 1998, "Co-op Housing Day"
Special ceremony: Thursday * 12.30 p.m.
The Rotunda, Main Floor, Metro Hall, 55 John Street
The City of Toronto will declare "Co-op Housing Day" in Toronto in a
special ceremony on Thursday, October 15, at 12.30 p.m. at the Rotunda on
the main floor of Metro Hall, 55 John Street. About 40,000 people make
their homes in co-ops in Toronto. Co-ops are spread throughout 24 of the
city's 28 wards.
"Lately, there has been growing public awareness of the disaster of
homelessness in our city," says Tom Clement, Executive Director of the
Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto. "Far too many people have been
condemned to a life of misery and an early death. We're proud that the City
of Toronto is turning the spotlight on one successful solution:
co-operative housing."
Co-ops provide a home to single-parent families, low-income households and
others who have been excluded from the private rental market. "A
significant percentage of our members would be homeless if it weren't for
their co-op homes," says Clement. One of the last co-ops to be opened in
Toronto was built on the site of a welfare motel. "Until recently, many
poor households were crowded into single rooms at the motel," says Clement.
"Now, many of those same people are living in good quality, affordable homes."
"Among the root causes of homelessness in Toronto was the decision by the
federal government in 1992 to stop the funding of new social housing
projects, including co-ops," says Clement. "In 1995, the provincial
government killed 17,000 co-op and non-profit housing projects that were
under development. The private sector has built only a handful of new
rental projects in recent years in Toronto. With virtually no new housing,
rising rents in the private sector and stagnant tenant incomes, it's no
wonder that Toronto is facing its worst homeless disaster in decades."
"Individual co-op members are at the forefront of many of the current
campaigns and coalitions to end homelessness in Toronto," says Clement.
"Our members are determined to be part of the solution. We're carrying on
the fight for more housing and better housing for all the people of Toronto."
For more information:
Tom Clement, CHFT - 416-465-8688, ext. 102
or e-mail Michael Shapcott at mshapcott@chfc.ca
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