With Albertans in communities large and small, including in this region, continuing to struggle with the ongoing affordability crisis, recently announced provincial government plans regarding housing are certainly of interest to many people.
Whether the plans will lead to an improvement, providing more and better affordable housing for residents and newcomers remains to be seen. What is known is that failing to address the problem now could very well lead to bigger problems down the road.
The Smith government says proposed changes, outlined in Bill 20, will fully exempt non-profit subsidized affordable housing from municipal and education property taxes.
For his part, area MLA and cabinet minister Jason Nixon says the government’s plans to change rules around affordable housing taxation and related matters will make a positive difference going forward.
“These changes are a key step towards meeting our housing goals,” sad Nixon. “Through them, we will remove barriers and incentivize building both affordable and attainable homes across the province.”
Ric McIver, minister of Municipal Affairs, echoed Nixon’s comments, saying, “The changes we’ve made, and that we plan to make, are steps in the right direction toward improving housing availability for all Albertans.”
The official Opposition says Nixon and his cabinet colleagues have it all wrong.
“Embedding provisions for affordable housing into a terrible bill is not a win for Albertans,” said NDP housing critic Janis Irwin. “Instead, this government should shred the authoritarian Bill 20, and the gatekeeping Bill 18, which risk slowing development for much-needed affordable housing.
“These bills do nothing to fortify trust with municipalities who are working hard to address the housing crisis. These changes won’t prioritize what communities need, which is affordable housing.”
Ensuring that Alberta communities, including in this district, can provide affordable housing to current and future residents is must for the future success of those same communities.
Whether the UCP plans outlined last week will provided the much-needed solution to the current and ongoing affordable housing crisis now facing Alberta remains an open question.
Dan Singleton is an editor with the Albertan.
