SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 263

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
December 6, 2023 02:00PM
Context: House Hansard - 263 - Dec/6/23
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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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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