Govt ‘plans’ emergency housing for displaced families

The government plans to establish a dedicated supply of emergency and transitional housing for families displaced by fires and other crises, Housing Minister Chris Gibbs said on Monday.

High-density housing, particularly in the urban corridor, makes communities especially vulnerable to fires that affect multiple homes. Gibbs said, Recent fires on Wellington Street and Chapman Lane point to the need for planning rather than a scramble for accommodation, he added.

“As an urban MP, I could tell you that I personally, and this is outside of being the Minister of Housing, I personally have had to attend to many of these fires,” said Gibbs. “So we know that this happens frequently, hence the need for emergency housing or transitional housing.”