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Dec/6/23 7:32:28 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I can feel that there is support and desire there, and I really appreciate that. However, the problem is there are people who are unable to pay their rent and unable to pay for food and medication. With the cost of living, they cannot wait any longer. The government is hiding behind consultation, trying to scare people by saying that the success of this benefit is tied to how long it is delayed, which is a cop-out. There has been plenty of consultation, and the number one pillar that persons with disabilities expressed to the government over years of consultation is the need for economic support. They need it to uphold their human rights and for us as a country to uphold our commitments on the rights of persons with disabilities. To ask again, why does the government—

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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)

Dec/6/23 7:33:29 p.m.
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The hon. parliamentary secretary.

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Secretary

Mr. Sameer Zuberi

Dec/6/23 7:33:36 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-22

Madam Speaker, I would like to again thank the member opposite for her advocacy. We are moving quickly on historic investments and measures. The legislation, Bill C-22, which is now law, requires that we consult with the community in a fulsome fashion, and we are doing so. It requires that we make regulations to have the benefit realized, actualized and in people's pockets, and we are doing so. The benefit will reduce poverty and will increase financial security for those who need it most. The Canada disability benefit is important to all of us. It is important to our government, it is important to the member opposite, it is important to me and it is important to Canadians. We are working with the community tirelessly. We need to get this right and we will get it right. It will help create real change. It will transform the realities—

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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)

Dec/6/23 7:34:37 p.m.
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The hon. member for Elmwood—Transcona.

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Mr. Daniel Blaikie (Elmwood—Transcona, NDP)

Dec/6/23 7:34:41 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, all of us in this place know that Canada is facing a housing crisis and it looks different for different people. For some seniors it means pitching a tent in the community park that used to be the place they would go for recreation. For some families it means cutting back on food in order to make the rent payment. We know that we got here because we had decades of Liberal and Conservative governments that did not invest in non-market housing for a very long time. Now we are trying to address this crisis. I think the most important number for Canadians to bear in mind with respect to the success or failure of the national housing strategy is from Steve Pomeroy, who said that for every one unit of affordable housing we build in Canada today we are losing 15. That should give everyone a very clear picture of how inadequate the federal government's efforts so far have been in addressing the housing crisis. In the fall economic statement the government announced a replenishment of some funds, like the rental construction financing initiative and the co-investment fund, but it put that off for another two years. That money is not even going to begin to flow until 2025, which means that the construction of those units is even further down the road when Canada is currently experiencing a housing crisis. My question is very simple. Instead of regaling me with things that have been built under the national housing strategy, and there are some but they are decisively inadequate, I want to hear a simple answer as to whether or not that money that has been announced for these programs that already exist will be moved up from 2025 to 2023.

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Mr. Peter Fragiskatos (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, Lib.)

Dec/6/23 7:36:29 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I agree with the hon. colleague on a few things. I agree that the lack of investment on the part of previous governments, Liberal and Conservative, has taken us to this point where Canada has a genuine housing crisis in front of it. We have to recognize that first and foremost. I would also say that the housing crisis and the lack of affordability we find is ultimately underpinned by a supply crisis. We need to build more. I know the member cites numbers from Mr. Pomeroy and others. I heard his citations given at committee. That is all well and good, but the key point is that when we build more, we add to supply, and when we add to supply, we bring down costs. That is true for renters and it is true for prospective homeowners. I will point to the fact that, in just the past few months, this government has waived the GST on the construction of apartments. It has also introduced funding through the housing accelerator fund, a $4-billion fund, that is going to result over the next four years in 45,000 additional homes and 200,000 homes over the next decade. The homes that have been constructed have led to the housing of individuals who had unfortunately found themselves on the street. There are 200,000 people who were either homeless or very close to being homeless who have found themselves housed, quite often with wraparound supports, which I know the member who raised this question appreciates. This involved collaboration with not-for-profits as well. The member points to the fall economic statement. I think there is something quite substantive there. As for when funding will be allocated, those decisions will be made. What we are looking at is more funding for non-market housing dealing with short-term rentals. These are not small things. These are meaningful movements forward, which contrast quite strongly with the approach of the Conservatives. They have put forward a private member's bill through their leader that would lead to fewer homes, which we heard from the Department of Finance through an analysis. They want to tax homebuilders and cut funding for the housing accelerator fund. That is not going to lead to any meaningful movement toward greater supply. In other words, it is not going to address the affordability issue that Canadians face when wanting to rent or buy a home. It is also not going to do anything for the people who unfortunately still find themselves homeless. That is something that we all have to collaborate on. The national housing strategy is there. I would remind my colleague of this. Half of the funding in the $80-billion national housing strategy is still in place and has been supported and supplemented now in the fall economic statement. I think these are important points to keep in mind.

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Mr. Daniel Blaikie

Dec/6/23 7:39:33 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I would remind my colleague that some of that funding is in abeyance, because it has been accorded to projects that cannot move ahead because interest rates have gone up. That is why New Democrats have been advocating so hard to ensure that the GST rebate also applies to non-profit projects with federal government financing that have been stalled because of rising interest rates, regardless of when they began construction. That is part of making good on the commitments the government has already made. We cannot seem to get a positive answer with respect to that extension of the GST rebate. We have heard the finance minister brag that Canada is doing the best among the G7 or the OECD, depending on the day, with respect to its deficit, its debt and its credit rating. We have heard from the Governor of the Bank of Canada that spending on housing supply would not be considered inflationary. There is no better time to invest and there is no more urgent time to invest. Why is it we continue to see the government, when it announces new funds, back-end load that funding several budget years down the road?

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Mr. Peter Fragiskatos

Dec/6/23 7:40:38 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I remind my colleague, and he knows this very well, that funding has been allocated and we are seeing results in his own province, in his own community. I would point to funding that was announced. There was $13 million for 78 homes for indigenous peoples throughout Manitoba that came through the rapid housing initiative. In June 2023, $12 million was announced for 57 units; this goes to indigenous people, youth who have experienced homelessness and women and their children who have lived through domestic violence. It will go to individuals in Winnipeg. Quite recently, in November 2023, through the rental construction financing initiative that was mentioned, $132 million for 447 apartments was announced. That is for a low-interest loan that goes to developers that put up purpose-built rentals. Again, this is for just one city in one province. More can be done, of course, and more should be done. The results of the national housing strategy need to be emphasized. They are not nothing; they are very serious, and we continue—

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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)

Dec/6/23 7:41:56 p.m.
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We are done. The motion that the House do now adjourn is deemed to have been adopted. Accordingly, the House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 10 a.m. pursuant to Standing Order 24(1). (The House adjourned at 7:42 p.m.)

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