Edmonton mayor optimistic about affordable housing in 2017

Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson is disappointed the city didn't see more affordable and supportive housing built in 2016.

Council frequently hears from people who wish the city would do more about providing affordable housing, Iveson told CBC News in a year-end interview.

"I think we're doing a lot within our mandate," he said, pointing to how the city has foundmore land that can be used for affordable housing.

But he argued responsibility for affordable housing and ending homelessness is the mandate of the province and the federal government, not the city.

"The province and the feds will get the most benefit back in terms of reduced interaction for vulnerable people with the health-care system and the justice system," he said.

"Yes, it will help us with social disorder and policing, but we're by far the smallest piece of that equation."

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City council voted Dec. 9to fund End Poverty Edmonton, which is working to end poverty in the city within a generation.

The task force will start off with $1.265 million in 2017 and get another $1.178 million in 2018.

One of itspriorities is to negotiate with the Alberta and federal governments for more funding for affordable and supportive housing, as well as rent subsidy programs.

'Most vulnerable'not getting enough support

Iveson said he would have liked to have seen more new units built with provincial and federal money in 2016.

"Though we're still bringing homelessness down at a steady pace, the most vulnerable people are still not getting the support that they need with supportive housing," he said.

"I would have liked to have seen more progress on that from senior orders of government but our advocacy will be relentless on that.

"Any opportunity to talk about how those investments in permanent supportive housing will save money in costly areas of provincial and federal jurisdiction we'll continue to make that case."

Iveson added that he's optimistic about the city building more affordable housing in 2017.

"Next year we'll start to see a bigger movement," he said.

"We've seen small flowing of funds but with the national housing strategy and the provincial housing strategy and spending from the social infrastructure fund from Ottawa to invest in social housing and permanent supportive housing, I think we'll start to see that solidify next year."

Optimism around national housing strategy

Homeward Trust CEO Susan McGee shares Iveson's optimism, especially around the creation of a national housing strategy by the federal government.

In November, the federal government released the results of several months of consultation with Canadians on the need for a housing strategy to address homelessness and affordable housing.

McGee said Edmonton's city council has made the issue a priority.

But in 2017, the city has some work to do deciding where affordable housing could be located.

"Now the real heavy lifting is in figuring out what land has potential," she said.

"The city does have and owns land. There's work yet to be done in determining what sites can and should be developed appropriately for housing."

nola.keeler@cbc.ca

@nolakeelerCBC