Budget 2011: Continued Support for Albertans Most in Need of Housing
| Budget 2011 keeps Housing and Urban Affairs on track to meet its commitments to help vulnerable Albertans with their core housing needs.
Albertans most in need of housing will continue to be the focus of the Ministry: low income seniors, large immigrant families, persons with disabilities and the previously homeless. Likewise, partnerships—with housing management bodies and homeless support agencies, to municipalities, the private sector and non-profit groups—will continue to be key to carrying out the Ministry’s mission. The partnerships will also help to identify and develop cost-effective solutions that help house people in need, and help them to become and stay independent. One example is the Ministry partnership announced last fall with Service Alberta, to remove barriers that prevent homeless Albertans from getting government-issued identification. This voluntary ID program opens more doors to everyday services for the homeless. By the Numbers Funding for the operating portion (supports and services for Albertans in need) has increased by nearly $10 million. The increase recognizes the role of supports and services for helping the homeless to get and stay off the streets, and for helping low-income Albertans who have somewhere to live but are at risk of homelessness to stay housed. The reduction in the budget is due to the decrease in capital funding. This change recognizes that the Ministry is closing in on its target to support 11,000 affordable housing units by 2012 and also reflects the end of federal stimulus funding (a decrease of $45 million).Even with this change, Budget 2011 includes $100 million for capital funding—which will be used to move even closer to supporting 11,000 units by 2012. On top of this, an additional $40 million from the retained earnings of the Alberta Social Housing Corporation will go to regenerate or replace government-owned social housing units. Budget 2011 also includes funding to continue to help make land available for homes in Fort McMurray. |
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