For Immediate Release
February 17, 2025
With shelters at capacity and forced to turn people away in dangerously cold temperatures, NL NDP Leader Jim Dinn (St. John’s Centre) says government’s piecemeal approach to addressing the housing crisis continues to leave people out in the cold.
“Government’s current approach to housing is disconnected from the realities faced by many in our province. The reality is stark, but it isn’t new. People in Newfoundland and Labrador are continuing to be left out in the cold because there simply aren’t enough shelter spaces or affordable housing options,” said Dinn. “Housing is a human right. The government’s failure to adequately invest in affordable housing and implement a meaningful poverty reduction plan is putting lives at risk.”
Dinn notes the dismantling of the Colonial Building Tent City last year might have lessened the public visibility of the problem, but did not change the reality of people sleeping in tents outdoors in all weather. He says that while the new announcement of 13 micro-units is a small step, the lack of a cohesive plan will prolong the crisis.
“Government must stop being inadequately reactive and start taking proactive measures when it comes to housing and poverty reduction,” Dinn said. “This year, despite everything government brags about doing, 100 more people are using shelters than last year. We see a yearly increase of people on the NL Housing wait list. We hear horror stories of seniors facing eviction due to high rent increases because government refuses to put in rent controls or forbid renovictions. If people can’t stay housed, that’s a major problem.”
Dinn says that the lack of a fulsome plan from government to address this crisis, the number of people using the shelter system, or being turned away, will continue to rise.
"Until government comes up with a comprehensive plan that not only increases the availability of affordable housing, but also addresses the root causes of poverty, people will continue to suffer. We need to think and plan for our future.”
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For further information, contact Stephanie Curran, Media and Communications Officer, NDP Caucus at 330-0328 (o), or stephaniecurran@gov.nl.ca
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