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Articles by Kirsten Bernas
Budget 2026 falls short on housing
The Manitoba Government released Budget 2026 on March 24. While the NDP government made important progress on housing and homelessness in its first two budgets, this year required bolder action to meet the scale of the crisis. Instead, Budget 2026 slows that progress, leaving Manitoba further behind. Because the government has repeatedly underfunded housing for many years, future budgets will now need to be even larger to catch up to the level of housing low-income Manitobans need.
Opinion: Moving in the right direction — just not fast enough
End Homelessness Winnipeg’s 2024 street census confirms the concerns of community agencies working with people who are homeless. The 2,469 people experiencing homelessness is higher than previous counts. Indigenous people are overrepresented at 79.9 per cent of this population. People are losing their housing because they can’t afford it, and because of health-related issues like substance use and mental health challenges.
Opinion: Private sector focused rent benefits are not the answer
By: Kirsten Bernas Posted: 2:00 AM CDT Thursday, Sep. 19, 2024 The crisis caused by the recent pause in the Canada Manitoba Housing Benefit (CMHB) demonstrates the volatility of income subsidies as a solution for housing insecurity and homelessness. Housing advocates want governments to quit relying on private sector focused rent benefits, and instead prioritize investments in long-term public assets through the development and maintenance of social housing.
Opinion: Housing plans fall short for low incomes
By: Kirsten Bernas and Yutaka Dirks Posted: 2:01 AM CDT Wednesday, Jun. 5, 2024 Governments at all levels are paying more attention to the housing crisis. While spring budgets included investments to expand the affordable housing supply, these investments are expected to continue to primarily benefit middle- and high-income households. Those in greatest need will continue to be left behind.
Opinion: Tax cut policies stall affordable housing action
This month, the Right to Housing Coalition released a Social Housing Action Plan for Manitoba, based on years of research and lived experience. The comprehensive plan, built on five pillars, if implemented, would address the dire shortage of housing for low-income renters across Manitoba.
Opinion: Government dragging feet on homelessness
By: Kirsten Bernas and Shauna MacKinnon Tweet Print Email Save to Read Later THE Manitoba government released its Homelessness Strategy on Feb. 28. The primary questions being asked by social housing advocates are: what took you so long, and what’s the long-term plan? Read this article for free: Email Address: Password: I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Already have an account?
Province must focus homelessness plan
The Oct. 7 Winnipeg Free Press editorial (“Make prudent use of sudden financial windfall”) described a far more optimistic financial situation than the Manitoba government previously projected. This, they say, provides the province with greater “fiscal flexibility” to attend to urgent issues. Read this article for free: Email Address: Password: I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Already have an account?
Province must focus its homelessness strategy
By: Kirsten Bernas and Shauna MacKinnon Tweet Print Email Save to Read Later The Oct. 7 Free Press editorial (“Make prudent use of sudden financial windfall”) described a far more optimistic financial situation than the Manitoba government previously projected. This, they say, provides the province with greater “fiscal flexibility” to attend to urgent issues. Read this article for free: Email Address: Password: I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.
OPINION | Partnership's help for homeless encampment near Beer Can shows how government aid should work | CBC News
The reality is that partnerships like the one between the Beer Can and the West Central Women's Resource Centre that helped people in a homeless encampment do not end homelessness by themselves. Not everyone living unsheltered wants to be housed, but when the Beer Can partnered with the West Central Women's Resource Centre to help people living in a nearby encampment, they all took the opportunity to find homes.
OPINION | Opinion: Manitoba's social housing plans follow failed examples | CBC News
Manitoba Housing says it has 7,000 households on its waiting list, but rather than increase the supply, the Brian Pallister government is selling social housing and transferring management to non-profit agencies and the private sector. People sleep in a Winnipeg bus shelter on Portage Avenue. More than 7,000 households are on a Manitoba Housing waiting list.
Manitoba's Rent Assist increase: Community work in action
Please support our coverage of democratic movements and become a supporter of rabble.ca. Thanks to community advocacy, low-income Manitobans will have more money to help pay their rent. Three years ago Make Poverty History Manitoba (MPHM) began building support for increasing shelter benefits to 75 per cent of median market rent. The provincial government responded and this July, low-income people will have better access to a safe and affordable place to live.
Millions in federal funding that could lift Manitobans out of poverty, homelessness sitting on the table
Millions of federal dollars that could make their way to Manitoba are sitting on a negotiating table, rather than benefiting thousands of people who are living in substandard housing or homelessness, says Manitoba's Right to Housing Coalition. A homeless camp sprung up on the lawn of Winnipeg's All Saints Church last summer.
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