SoVote

Ms. Lindsay Mathyssen (London—Fanshawe, NDP)

Dec/6/23 2:36:00 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, three women in London have been killed by their male partners over the past year. Our women's shelters are doing everything they can, but they just cannot keep up. Anova's women's shelter had to turn people away 2,400 times this year. This is an epidemic, but what are the Liberals doing? They are cutting funding to women's shelters when they need them the most. When will the Prime Minister reverse his $150-million cut to women's shelters?

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Context: House Hansard - 263 - Dec/6/23

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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Context: House Hansard - 263 - Dec/6/23

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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Context: House Hansard - 263 - Dec/6/23

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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