44th Parl. 1st Sess.
November 22, 2023 02:00PM
- Nov/22/23 2:18:31 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today is National Housing Day. The NDP demanded immediate action to stop housing profiteering, a non-profit acquisition fund and major funding and below-market financing for social and community housing in the fall economic statement. However, the Minister of Finance failed to deliver.
Delaying the funds to the NDP's key housing measures for another two years makes the Liberals' claim that they want to see more homes built faster a joke. It undermines the Bank of Canada's view that housing investment is not inflationary spending and can even drive down the high cost of living.
The fall economic statement also offered nothing new to support women, seniors or veterans, nor to support indigenous, Inuit and Métis peoples.
Canadians do not have to choose between the Liberals, who just disappoint, and the Conservatives, who think building social housing and co-ops is a Soviet-style takeover of housing. New Democrats will at least double Canada's community housing stock and put a stop to housing profiteering.
It is time for Ottawa to work for everyday people and not just wealthy CEOs.
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- Nov/22/23 2:33:45 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as the member well knows, it is a pleasure to work with Quebec.
I recently signed an agreement with Minister Duranceau, my counterpart in the Government of Quebec, that provides for funding of $900 million from the federal government and the same amount from the Quebec government. The agreement aims to build an additional 23,000 housing units. It is an opportunity for us to work together.
I will continue working to build housing throughout Quebec and across the country.
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- Nov/22/23 2:35:37 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, yesterday, if someone wanted to hear the Prime Minister talk about his plan to make life more affordable, they had to pay $1,700, or $850 if they were under age 35. That is $850 to hear him tell young people struggling with the cost of rent to wait another two years for affordable housing.
Why does the Prime Minister think it is okay to make people wait two years for affordable housing?
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- Nov/22/23 2:36:19 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am thankful that the hon. member raised affordable housing for young people. So many young people are taking advantage of the first home savings account. Just the other day, I was talking to a young woman in my riding. She and her partner have saved, doing so with tax-free savings, and just moved into their first home. There is an uptick on this. More and more young people are able to do this, and it is changing a lot of lives.
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- Nov/22/23 2:48:11 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, in the economic statement that we presented yesterday, we are investing more in housing co-operatives in Quebec and across Canada.
We are doubling down on the fight against rental properties like Airbnbs, because we know that Quebec has very strong local regulations, and we want to support that. We also know that there are families that are still struggling to make ends meet. That is why we are going to amend our competition laws. That is real action.
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- Nov/22/23 2:57:55 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the fall economic statement missed the mark on addressing the housing crisis facing indigenous people. According to the last census, over 300,000 indigenous people are not living in suitable housing. Approximately the same number are living in buildings that need major repair. After eight years of Liberals, they have neglected and ignored the strife and the struggle of indigenous people and have delayed action on the housing crisis.
What is the Prime Minister's excuse?
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- Nov/22/23 2:58:34 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am sincerely thankful for the NDP's concern for the well-being of indigenous people across Canada and for the recognition of the need to continue to make the investments necessary to improve the housing situation impacting communities in every part of this country.
The reality, though, is that we are making historic investments in affordable housing for Canadians generally, and specifically for indigenous people across this country as well. In previous budgets, we have put $4 billion on the table for distinctions-based funding for indigenous communities and an additional $4.3 billion to address indigenous housing needs in urban, rural and northern environments across this country. We will continue to do what is necessary to support indigenous peoples when it comes to housing.
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- Nov/22/23 3:07:45 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the economic update proves once again that the Prime Minister does not understand the word “emergency”. The housing crisis is an emergency. Nevertheless, not only will the new funding be inadequate, but there is not a single new measure that will take effect before 2025, in other words, after the next election. The only thing the Prime Minister is offering is money starting in 2025 if people vote in a Liberal government.
When will he understand that what we need today is money for housing, not election promises?
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- Nov/22/23 3:08:25 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I disagree with my hon. colleague, and I would encourage him to read the entirety of the fall economic statement. There are a number of measures that take effect very quickly, some in the next number of weeks and some in the next number of months. He must be referring to our recapitalization, though, of certain programs that are actually helping get homes built now.
We continue to have funds on the table. In fact, just last week, we landed agreements worth $4 billion that are going to see nearly 12,000 new homes constructed right across this country at prices that ordinary people can actually afford. We are now locking in long-term investments that are going to provide certainty to builders so they can continue to build the homes that are necessary to defeat the housing crisis.
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- Nov/22/23 3:09:46 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I agree with the member. Investments are necessary to address the housing crisis. On top of the new measures included in yesterday's document are other investments that our government has already announced.
For example, we signed an agreement with the Province of Quebec to the tune of $1.8 billion just to support investments in affordable housing. We will continue making the investments necessary to end the housing crisis across the country.
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- Nov/22/23 3:14:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, in yesterday's economic statement, the government announced measures to support housing co-operatives. There are 1,130 co-ops in Quebec, representing more than 22,000 housing units. The Leader of the Opposition referred to co-ops as Soviet-style housing. That shows his contempt for this type of housing.
Can the minister explain to Canadians the impact that yesterday's measures will have on housing co-ops across the country?
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- Nov/22/23 3:15:35 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel for her hard work and her question.
People need more housing, and co-ops are part of the solution. That is why we announced yesterday that the GST will be removed from new co-op rental housing. We also announced that we will be strengthening the co-operative housing development program. Unlike the Leader of the Opposition, who despises co-ops, we support them and the people who live in them.
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