Housing advocates to hold ‘alternative summit’ in Regina

Some Regina organizations who deal with housing issues first hand say those who are most affected are being left out of discussions at next week’s Mayor’s Housing Summit.

So they are creating their own People’s Housing Summit, to be held at the same time and in the same building, Hotel Saskatchewan, as the other event.

“It’s not an ‘us (vs.) them’,” said Marc Spooner, a University of Regina Housing Researcher who is organizing the ‘alternate housing summit event’.

He said the second event came to be because one important group was left out of the Mayor’s summit, which he believes has become more focused on developers.

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“What we feel is missing is people with firsthand accounts, people who have had to choose between food and rent,” Spooner explained.

Spooner said that is not the only concern about the event hosted by the city. Another surrounds the definition of affordable housing. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) said it is affordable if less than 30 per cent of a person’s monthly income.

“We accept the definition, but our programs are not like provincial programs which are given to the individual,” explained Mayor Michael Fougere. “Ours don’t go to individuals; they go to the builder to reduce the cost to make it affordable.”

Alaina Harrison of Carmichael Outreach believes that is a “made in Regina” definition, adding that in a city where the average rent for a one bedroom apartment is over $800 and $1000 for two bedrooms, it does not work.

“(The city’s definition) was put at market value, or under,” said Harrison. “If you look at what market value is right now, that’s nowhere near approaching affordable for most people.”

Some of the front line workers will make an appearance at both summits. To Spooner, however, including the voices of those who are directly impacted is a no-brainer.

“Through this avenue we can bring those voices in and really get a plan we can get behind that will make the community a better place here in Regina,” he said.