Thanks to provincial Minister Ravi Khalon for inviting me to the announcement of the acquisition of 52 affordable rental units for seniors by Ballenas Housing Society at Moilliet Manner in Parksville. Lots of familar faces in attendance including friends who are resident in the buiding. The project was acquired with the assistance of BC's Rental Protection Fund which is armed with $500 million to help non-profits to purchase existing affordable housing across the country. It was great to hear about the Fund's work from CEO Katie Maslechko and resident Sue Foreman who has lived in the building for twenty years. Also, wonderful to run into my friends Ken and Arlene, who also live there. Katie told me her board is waiting for the launch of the federal rent protection initiative in April, which the NDP fought hard to put in place and which couple triple its leverage to acquire and protect buildings like this. Congratulations to Ballenas, City of Parksville and the BC NDP government for protecting this wonderful building.
Mood Disorders Society of Canada Meeting
It was a privilege to meet with representatives from Mood Disorders Society of Canada recently in Ottawa to discuss the important role of community organizations and peer support workers in helping Canadians with mental illnesses. They spoke about how the chronic underfunding of Canada’s mental health sector limits the ability of non-profit organizations to expand services and meet growing demand. We agreed that investing in community mental health organizations could reduce pressures on the healthcare system and help Canadians who are struggling. Finally, we talked about my Private Member’s Bill, C-414, which is pushing for parity between physical and mental health in our universal, public healthcare system. Canada is facing a mental health crisis and it’s clear we need systemic change so everyone can access care when they need it most.