The Greater Victoria region appears poised to benefit from the national housing strategy announced last month. But several questions, both specific and fundamental, remain.

B次元官网网址淲e have our matching monies in place, we have our organizations in place to receive and spend, and our organizations are in place that can effectively manage that housing,B次元官网网址� said Coun. Fred Haynes, who is also a director on the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness.

Haynes made this comment after the federal government announced what it called its national housing strategy. It promises $11.2 billion to address the housing needs of 530,000 families and individuals by creating 100,000 new housing units, and repair another 300,000 over the coming decade, against the backdrop of rising housing costs, especially for working families. Federal officials claim investments from other spheres of government could bring total spending up to $40 billion.

CanadaB次元官网网址檚 housing crunch has hit close to home in the Greater Victoria region. Local business leaders have consistently cited housing affordability B次元官网网址� or the lack thereof B次元官网网址� as an obstacle, and recent figures suggest their complaints will not cease. Earlier this month, the price of a single-family home in , according to figures released by the Victoria Real Estate Board. While the federal agency has recorded a rise in the overall vacancy rate to 0.7 per cent, the average rent in the region now stands at $1,072 B次元官网网址� up 7.7 per cent from $994 in 2016.

While federal officials have promoted this national strategy with much fanfare, its specific impact on Greater Victoria is still emerging.

Haynes said Saanich B次元官网网址� working through regional, provincial and national institutions B次元官网网址� has played an important role in helping to secure this funding. Now the focus turns towards other questions, he said.

B次元官网网址淎s a region, how do we collaborate to ensure that we get what we could call our fair share of this federal money, and separately, how do we as a region accelerate the process, such that we can receive the money?B次元官网网址� he asked.

The population of the Greater Victoria region accounts for about one per cent of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 national population, said Haynes. Based on this figure, the region should ask for one per cent of the new housing units B次元官网网址� so 1,000.

Since Saanich has about one third of the regional population, its per-capita share of the new units would be about 350, said Haynes. But other factors come into play as well. They include the location of jobs, regional differences in housing costs and supplies, transportation, socio-economics and environmental concerns. Cities of the future need to be compact, socially integrated, while environmentally sustainable, he said.

B次元官网网址淪o I would say that if you were to look at all the parameters, there would be an argument perhaps that most of this housing should come into the core,B次元官网网址� he said.

Overall, Greater Victoria is ready to leverage some $60 million in combined regional and provincial funding, said Haynes. This said, one B次元官网网址渨eaknessB次元官网网址� of OttawaB次元官网网址檚 approach is the timing of the program, with much of the money available after the next federal election.

A larger fundamental question also looms. B次元官网网址淭he question is would 1,000 homes in this area make a dent in that [housing affordability]?,B次元官网网址� said Haynes. B次元官网网址淭his talks to the story that it is still not enough. The problem is so big.B次元官网网址�