BARRHEAD-The Barrhead and District Social Housing Association (BDSHA) will not go down without a fight.
That is what County of Barrhead Coun. Darrell Troock, who also doubles as BDSHA board chair, said following a May 20 meeting, where the BDSHA board discussed whether or not to challenge the province's plan to amalgamate housing bodies such as the local lodge and housing authorities.
The association manages four long-term seniors’ facilities in Barrhead including Hillcrest Lodge, Klondike Place, Golden Crest Manor, and Jubilee Manor. The area the association covers includes Barrhead, Fort Assiniboine, Swan Hills and Big Lakes County.
“We are going to write letters, lobby our [United Conservative Party Athabasca-Barrhead-Westlock MLA Glenn van Dijken] to see if we can get an audience with [Minister of Seniors and Housing Josephine Pon] to make our case on why we should be able to continue as we have been,” he said.
He said the BDSHA first learned that the province was considering amalgamating housing associations into larger boards only recently when they informed the province that their CAO, Dorothy Schorr, would be stepping down in July.
In the fall, the province asked the board to inform them about any changes in administration.
Shortly after doing so, representatives from Alberta Seniors and Housing asked to have a Zoom meeting with the board. That meeting took place about three weeks ago.
"That is when they told us they would be implementing some of the recommendations from the Alberta Affordable Housing Review Panel's report, which includes amalgamating a lot of these [senior’s housing boards]," Troock said.
The Alberta Affordable Housing Review Panel's final 40-page report, which was released in December 2020, contained 19 recommendations. From July 9 to August 31, 2020, the panel sought the perspectives of stakeholder organizations representing groups most in need of affordable housing, including housing providers, private companies and civil society organizations. In the end, the panel heard from nearly 160 Albertans through engagement sessions and received more than 120 written submissions.
Two of the potential associations the province suggested the BDSHA might merge with are Homeland Housing, which is based in Sturgeon County, or the Lac Ste. Anne Foundation, the latter being the most desirable.
"The way our board is, for the life of us, we don't understand why they would even consider changing the way we operate," he said. "We are a well-run association and are strong financially ... We are one of the few that don't have their hand out to the municipalities requesting funds for operating."
One of the concerns the board has is that if they and other senior not-for-profit boards are amalgamated, the local communities could potentially lose their voice, not having input at the table.
"Who is going to sit on this board? Right now there are five of us on it," Troock said, noting the board consists of representatives from the Barrhead municipalities as well as the Town of Swan Hills, Woodlands County and Big Lakes County. "If they amalgamate boards representing larger areas, they are not going to have 20 people sitting on it. Places with large populations are going to demand more representation and the smaller communities are just going to be gobbled up."
Another concern Troock has which he expressed during the May 18 County of Barrhead council meeting, is the potential financial impact on ratepayers.
He noted the BDSHA has a history of only requisitioning member municipalities for future capital expenses.
"We don't requisition for operating. Most of the boards across the province are asking for a million-plus," he said.
Troock is also fearful that the BDSHA's reserves could be used for projects outside its member communities. However, the province assured them that wouldn't be the case.
Reeve Doug Drozd agreed with the association's concerns and asked if the province was "strongly suggesting" the amalgamations or, that when push comes to shove, being forced.
Unfortunately, Troock said he believes the latter to be the case.
He also did not agree with many of the conclusions of the report, adding the 10-person panel's makeup heavily favoured urban centres.
"There were a couple of people representing rural, not-for-profit boards, but most of them were private urban organizations," Troock said.
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
