


Jenny Kwan Vancouver East, BC
NDP
Mr. Speaker, housing cost is the biggest contributing factor to the affordability crisis. Notwithstanding the promise of Build Canada Homes, new homes will not materialize until years from now, and there would be no federal subsidies to ensure affordability.
Renters are in a crisis now. Corporate landlords are hiking rent far beyond inflation, and ordinary Canadians are being forced out of their homes. Housing profiteers are jacking up rent by 30%, 40% or even 50%.
National vacancy control legislation would stop this gouging cold. Will the Prime Minister bring back a national vacancy control, like the one we used to have before the war, to protect renters?
Gregor Robertson
Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada
Mr. Speaker, the government is very focused on affordable housing, in particular, non-market rental housing. We are starting with $1 billion that, with the support of the House on the budget, we can dedicate to transitional supportive housing for people who are homeless or people who are in shelters. If we get them into transitional homes and supports, they can move into permanent housing.
We are focused on the tens of thousands of units of affordable rental housing that we want to build across this country. We count on the member's support in the House to do that.


