The leader of the Saskatchewan Progress Party says the provincial government has put its public housing tenants at risk by failing to address the presence of asbestos in its public housing properties.
Jeff Walter explains that publicly-owned buildings have to report if there is asbestos and the results are in the online Saskatchewan asbestos registry.
He says, “One of the biggest issues is the fact that a lot of these lots are vacant and the reason why they are vacant is not being really told by the government to people, and that’s problematic for us. And when you have to take out a $120 million liability on a $140 million portfolio, it’s basically rendering this portfolio useless.”
Walters suggests the options for the provincial government are to fix up the affected units or announce publicly what the asbestos situation is in the Sask Housing Authority units and develop a plan to take care of it.
Asbestos is a known carcinogen which increases the risks of certain cancers and lung disease.
It used to be used in things like insulation, construction materials, flooring and brakes.
The Saskatchewan Progress Party recently rebranded and was formerly the provincial Liberal party.