HARDEMAN REINTRODUCES BILL TO END MISUSE OF SOCIAL HOUSING MONEY

QUEEN’S PARK– PC Critic for Municipal Affairs and Housing, Ernie Hardeman, Oxford MPP, today reintroduced his private members bill to stop waste and misuse of social housing dollars at the controversial Housing Services Corporation after the government once again introduced an affordable housing bill that failed to address the problem.

“In the bill they introduced today the government has once again failed to deal with the waste and misuse of affordable housing dollars so I am reintroducing the Housing Services Corporation Accountability Act,” said Hardeman in the Legislature.

The government’s bill amends the legislation that created the Housing Services Corporation (HSC), but fails to add accountability measures or remove the requirement for social housing providers to purchase all natural gas and insurance through HSC.  Many providers have reported that they are being over-charged by HSC, including Toronto Community Housing that found they could have saved $6.3 million in a single year if they were allowed to purchase gas on their own.

“Housing Services Corporation has been overcharging social housing providers and then spending that money on European trips, lavish meals and a luxury vacation in South Africa,” said Hardeman.

Hardeman’s bill, the Housing Services Corporation Accountability Act, would:

  • Save affordable housing providers money on natural gas and insurance by removing the mandatory requirement to purchase them through HSC;
  • Restore accountability by requiring HSC to once again report salaries over $100,000 on the sunshine list; and
  • Give the Provincial Auditor General the authority to audit HSC without requiring a Minister’s request.

“The government has missed another opportunity to stop the misuse of public money and ensure that it goes to provide housing for people in need as intended,” said Hardeman. “When there are 171,000 families on the waiting list for affordable housing we can’t afford for social housing money to subsidize the lavish lifestyle of executives at HSC.”

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For more information, contact:

Ernie Hardeman, MPP Oxford

(416) 325-1239