I voted against the government’s housing bills because they won’t solve the housing crisis. I want to vote for bills that actually solve the crisis. Let’s be clear: Dismantling environmental protections, attacking local democracy, paving over farmland, wetlands and nature, downloading costs onto property taxpayers, and forcing people into long, expensive commutes will not solve the housing crisis.

I’ve put forward plans that show how good planning with zoning changes that allow four-plexes and walk-up four-storey apartments, mid-rise apartments along transit corridors and arterial roads, clamping down on housing speculation, investing in deeply affordable co-op and non-profit housing—those are the solutions that will solve the housing crisis.

Will the minister say no to what the land speculators want and yes to the solutions that will actually deliver housing that’s affordable in the communities people want to live in?

Mr. Schreiner moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 45, An Act to amend the Planning Act to require official plans to authorize midrise housing developments in specific circumstances and to make related amendments / Projet de loi 45, Loi modifiant la Loi sur l’aménagement du territoire pour exiger que les plans officiels autorisent l’aménagement d’immeubles d’habitation de moyenne hauteur dans des circonstances particulières et apporter des modifications connexes.