Funding national affordable housing critical: Layton

Federal Leader Jack Layton addressed a crowd of over 200 Saskatoon Residents who are concerned about the homeless and housing crisis in Saskatoon

clipped from www.canada.com SASKATOON - Federal NDP leader Jack Layton points to construction of Saskatoon's Station 20 West as proof of the value of his party's push for a Canadian affordable housing program. "We're here to build support for our case for a national affordable housing construction program. Without that, the actions of the local governments will not solve the problem alone," Layton said in an interview. Layton offered encouragement to local citizens fighting for legislation to prevent condominium conversions during periods of low rental vacancy rates. A similar rush to convert rental units to privately-owned condominiums ravaged the rental housing stock in Toronto 30 years ago, he said. It sparked a citizen's movement that resulted in laws to protect the rental housing stock. Saskatoon received $11.6 million for housing out of that, part of which is funding Station 20 West. That money will be gone after this year and the Harper government is not putting more in, Layton said.