MPs Tyrone Benskin and Hélène LeBlanc hold a public forum on social housing

MONTREAL – Faced with the inaction of the Conservative government on social housing, a crucial issue for residents of southwestern Montreal, NDP MPs Tyrone Benskin (Jeanne-Le Ber) and Hélène LeBlanc (LaSalle—Émard) will be holding a public forum on social housing on June 14, with guest speaker Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet, MP for Hochelaga and NDP Official Opposition housing critic.

While 260,000 Quebec households are living with urgent housing needs, the Conservative budget contains nothing for social housing. In fact, federal subsidies for existing social housing are beginning to expire, and the Harper government is doing nothing in response.

The public forum will be held at CÉDA, 2515, rue Delisle (corner of Vinet, metro Lionel-Groulx), on Thursday, June 14, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. The event is free and open to everyone and no registration is required.

Subjects discussed will include the expiration of federal operating agreements with co-ops and social housing projects; lack of investment for new social housing; renovation of existing social housing; and cuts to the Canada Housing and Mortgage Corporation (CHMC).