Mother-of-three Riga Godron has been forced to move 28 times after moving back to Victoria 22 years ago.
Godron said she has been evicted so landlords could renovate. Her rent has been increased beyond her means. She has been forced out of subsidized housing because her partner got a job and the paycheque meant they no long qualified for assistance.
“It’s hard to maintain housing here with the high cost and the scarcity,” said the 41-year-old army veteran living on a disability pension. “But there’s also a lot of serious instability here.”
Godron and about 10 others were at a downtown Victoria coffee bar Wednesday to talk with federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh about housing in the region.
Singh and Victoria NDP candidate Laurel Collins spent the morning listening and talking to people and offered their party’s commitment to help with issues such as the high cost and availability of housing.
Singh said after the meeting broke up, he knew housing in Victoria was expensive by most standards across Canada. But he was surprised to hear how precarious accommodation can be for Victorians.
Godron’s story of move after move in particular shook him.
“One of the things I heard here that surprised me was the lack of security or the instability of housing here,” said Singh.
“That’s something you don’t see that often, having multiple moves in a year or many, many moves over a short period of time,” he said.
Singh told his listeners it’s important for government policies to support government goals. Right now, government housing policies don’t line up squarely enough with the goal of finding affordable housing for everyone.
Collins said she is aware of the challenges faced by many people looking for homes in Victoria, particularly vulnerable people.
Collins said in her work with non-profit agencies she has met women with children escaping abusive relationships only to find it near impossible to find housing.
“The housing crisis disproportionately affects women, people fleeing violence, vulnerable people,” she said.
“But 60 per cent of us in Victoria are renters,” Collins said. “Lots of people here are just giving up on ever owning a home or they are even fleeing our city just because they can’t afford to start a family here.”
Shaylynn Sampson, a third-year political science student at the University of Victoria, said she has struggled to find housing.
Originally from the Prince George area, Sampson, 20, said the high rents and lack of availability have been a shock.
So it was good her to hear a national leader like Singh taking an interest in the issue. But she is still undecided over who to support when she votes.
“He seems very sincere, but I’m still taking things with a bit of salt,” Sampson said.
“But it’s definitely good to hear it [housing] is on the political radar with political leaders in the country,” she said.
