An under-reported reality highlighted during the local kick-off for the United Way Perth Huron (UWPH) annual fundraising campaign is that, next to government, the United Way is Canada’s largest funder of social services.
“Here in North Perth, we support over 20 services that make sure people who are in a desperate or difficult situation can get the help that they need right away,” UWPH Executive Director Ryan Erb told the crowd gathered at Character Square in Listowel on Sept. 13 for the campaign launch.
Services related to housing are among the most pressing needs these days, and the United Way is stepping into that breach in a big way.
Officials at the local kickoff announced plans to help with the supply of attainable and affordable housing, making plans to building 10 housing units in downtown Listowel.
Erb pointed out there is no hope of solving the housing crisis or reducing homelessness relying only on housing built through the usual private-sector development stream.
“In particular, we need organizations like United Way and others to get behind building the non-market housing that won’t be built unless [we do it],” he said, noting United Way will be launching a new Housing Corporation to facilitate the plan.
“This is going to be a sustainable organization. It’s a massive dream. It is something that is going to make a difference for generations to come,” said Erb.
In a separate announcement, UWPH announced its Social Research and Planning Council is launching a Speak Up for Housing campaign, highlighting the impact of rising housing costs on individuals and families across the region. The initiative includes the launch of a new web page, perthhuron.unitedway.ca/speakupforhousing, focusing on local efforts to make housing more affordable, including United Way’s new United Housing initiative.
To be sure, it will ultimately take massive investment in public housing, combined with incentives to the private sector and perhaps dramatic regulatory change, to get building done on the scale needed to make a dent in what has become a generation-defining crisis. What was once a robust public housing program at the federal level has been dormant for decades, as responsibility in this area devolved to the province and ultimately to municipalities. A serious ramp-up will eventually have to happen.
However, in addition to the fine work done in many other areas, the United Way is quickly becoming a leader in helping to tackle the problem and every contribution toward the agency’s $2,624,772 campaign goal will help with this important work.
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Patrick Raftis is the editor for Midwestern Newspapers: Reach him at editor@midwesternnewspapers.com.
