The worsening housing crisis is the number one issue that constituents bring to my office. It’s also the primary concern I hear knocking on doors in Kitchener—young people wondering if they will ever be able to own a home, while struggling to pay the rent; minimum wage workers with two full-time jobs just to pay the rent; people on ODSP living in legislated poverty, finding it impossible to find an affordable home; others sleeping in tents as the temperatures drop below 0.

Speaker, I’m calling on the government to stop prioritizing speculators and start building homes ordinary people can afford in the communities they know and love—by passing my bills to legalize building gentle density and missing-middle housing; to work with us to provide operating funds for permanent supportive housing projects, like the 32 homes for the Kindle project that’s ready to open in Guelph soon.

Instead of spending $3 billion for a bank, use that money to support non-profits and co-ops to build deeply affordable homes. Bring in real rent control. Drive speculation out of the housing market. And permanently reduce home heating costs by funding a building retrofit program to help people save money by saving energy.

Greens have solutions to the housing crisis, and we’re asking you to work with us to get it done.