LIBERALS VOTE AGAINST ENDING MISUSE OF SOCIAL HOUSING MONEY

For Immediate Release

June 2, 2016

LIBERALS VOTE AGAINST ENDING MISUSE OF SOCIAL HOUSING MONEY

QUEEN’S PARK – Today the Liberals used their majority to vote down the motion by Ernie Hardeman, Oxford MPP, to move forward his bill which would stop social housing money going to world travel and other inappropriate spending.

“Today the government had the opportunity to protect taxpayers and help people waiting for social housing, but instead they chose partisan politics,” said Hardeman. “Affordable housing money is going to pay for trips to Europe and a luxury vacation in South African but this government won’t work with us to stop it.”

Since the bill passed second reading and was referred to committee last April the wait list for social housing has grown by 3,000 families to a new record high of 171,360. Also during that year more questionable spending by HSC was discovered, including a 7-day luxury vacation in South Africa expensed by an HSC board member along with $5,598 for business class airfare.

“This government is ignoring this problem while millions of dollars intended to provide housing are being wasted and misused,” said Hardeman. “This is public money which housing providers are forced to give to Housing Services Corporation because the government refuses to change the rules.”

During his remarks Hardeman pointed out that after the government claimed they had solved the problem at this rogue agency Ontario housing money went to send multiple people to London, England; Manchester, England; Chicago, Illinois; Charlottetown, PEI; Halifax, Nova Scotia; and Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Hardeman’s bill, which the government has refused to move forward, would make the Housing Services Corporation accountable by allowing the Auditor General to investigate it, require salaries over $100,000 to be reported on the sunshine list; and allow housing providers to purchase natural gas and insurance where they can get the best price rather than forcing them to buy it through Housing Services Corporation.

“It is difficult to imagine that any government could think it is appropriate to spend social housing money travelling to Europe, California, Australia and South Africa while there are 171,000 families on the waiting list for social housing,” said Hardeman.

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For more information, contact:

Ernie Hardeman, MPP Oxford

(416) 325-1239