NL NDP Leader Jim Dinn (St. John’s Centre) sent in a submission to the National Housing Council of Canada’s review panel on the lack of accessible housing in Canada, highlighting the specific situation here in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Drawing on his extensive experience in housing advocacy – from helping constituents navigate housing challenges to working with the St. Vincent de Paul Society to create affordable housing units – Dinn used the opportunity to highlight the realities faced by people with disabilities seeking housing in Newfoundland and Labrador. His submission points to the severe shortage of affordable and accessible public housing, while also emphasizing the barriers created by inadequate home care supports and limited public transportation, which leave many unable to live independently and with dignity.
“According to Statistics Canada, nearly 31 percent of our population lives with at least one disability, four percent higher than the national average. In addition, our province saw one of the fastest increases in the number of those living with a disability between 2017 and 2022. This is unsurprising, because Newfoundland and Labrador is also home to the greatest proportion of seniors, as one out of every four of us is aged 65 or more,” Dinn wrote. “As disability rates increase with the age of the population, it comes as no surprise that our province is in great need of accessible and affordable housing, along with a host of other programs and services that would help those with disabilities live independently in their own homes and communities with dignity.”
“Any housing policy focused on accessibility should be guided by the principle of ‘nothing about us without us.’ Voices of those living with disabilities must be incorporated into all aspects of planning and implementation. The goal of any individual project should be to uphold the dignity and independence of those whom it is designed to help.”
A copy of the submission is attached.