Until 1969, the City of Winnipeg
had undertaken only two public housing projects even though the
failure of the market to provide adequate housing for low-income
Winnipeggers had been apparent since the beginning of the century. By
1919, providing housing was a significant issue in municipal politics
that was embraced by civic officials, professionals, reformers,
labour leaders and social democratic politicians. It also became a
proxy issue for refighting the 1919 General Strike at city hall.
However, Winnipeg’s business community proved effective opponents
of public housing.
The
struggle for public housing was also a struggle for democracy. Up
until the 1960s, public housing required approval by a referendum in
which only the city’s property owners could vote. This rule
deprived close to half the city’s voters — and virtually everyone
who might qualify to live in public housing — of the right to vote.
Over decades that barrier to democracy was whittled away. An NDP
provincial government elected in 1969 added 11,144 units of public
housing to the existing 568 units.
Today
public housing is once more under attack. Rather being treated as
valued public assets, they are considered embarrassing encumberments
that should be sold as part of a process of turning public housing
over to the private sector. The struggle to protect and expand the
provision of non-profit housing is undermined by the rupture in
political memory of the long struggle to build public housing and the
current political situation.