We’re not hurtin’, but we’re certain that we’re not Albertan

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 27/08/2019 (2397 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA — Welcome to Winnipeg, in Friendly… Alberta?

For the second time in less than a week “Canada’s Heart” has skipped a beat after being erroneously relocated a couple of provinces to the west. And this time, the perpetrator — the federal government — really ought to have known better.

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.’s update on the National Housing Strategy released Tuesday includes a spending table, including $1.4 million for the Winnipeg Centre of Hope, in “AB.”

Another reference in the update places the MacDonald Centre for Independent Living in Moncton “MB” but is, in fact, located in New Brunswick.

It’s a wonder anyone can find their way here.

Last Wednesday, the National Football League’s Oakland Raiders tweeted a photo of punter A.J. Cole III wearing a shirt featuring a graphic of this city’s skyline, along with the words “Winnipeg, Alberta.”

The photo was snapped while Cole and his teammates were boarding a flight headed here — Manitoba — for Thursday’s entirely forgettable pre-season game against the Green Bay Packers at IG Field. Perhaps it was a sign of things to come?

But while an American football player’s well-intentioned but mistaken gesture is certainly forgivable — particularly after the Raiders posted a photo of Cole the following day wearing a Winnipeg Jets T-shirt, along with the word “redemption — some might not be quite so understanding with the CMHC.

“This was an internal mistake and it will be fixed in the coming days,” a spokeswoman said, apologizing for the flub.

In Tuesday’s report, Ottawa says it has managed to repair 6,900 housing units in Manitoba and set plans to create 1,600 new homes since the Liberals took office in fall 2015, due to both federal investments and provincial cost-matching.

The 10-year plan has been hailed by housing advocates for setting specific allocations for groups such as domestic-violence victims, Métis people and First Nations living on reserves.

However, the parliamentary budget officer has warned that those most in need of housing might not be helped by the majority of programs. The Liberals have pledged a half-billion dollars for housing projects in Manitoba, not including provincial cost-sharing.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca