STATEMENT: Canadians struggle as housing costs grow under the Liberal government

The Liberal housing strategy is delivering far less social and affordable housing than it used to and it's Canadians and their faimilies who are suffering for the government's failure. A recent report by the National Housing Council said that the Liberal’s largest housing programs ‘could meet only a fraction of existing need’ and the Parliamentary Budget Officer also said that the affordability gap and housing need will only continue to grow under the Liberal plan. Despite these troubling concerns, the government still refuses to recognize the lack of affordable housing as a crisis.

NDP Critic for Housing, Jenny Kwan, made the following statement:

“In cities across the country, it's getting harder for Canadians to afford a decent place to live in their communities. Instead of the federal government taking action to help everyday people, recent reports show things are actually getting worse.

The Liberals are also dragging their feet on addressing the financialization of housing. After six years in power, they have only brought in a weak one per cent tax on vacant homes owned by those who don’t live in Canada, all while adding more loopholes to exemptions for vacation homes of non-residents living outside the country.

Canadians can’t afford a home because they are competing with investors with deep pockets. The federal government is allowing these rich investors to treat housing like a stock market, meanwhile real estate investment trusts have been left to scoop up existing affordable rentals to renovict people in order to maximize profits for their shareholders.

The situation is unacceptable for Canadians who just want a fair chance to afford a decent home. New Democrats will keep up the fight to build 500,000 new homes that Canadians can actually afford as a first step to addressing the growing shortage of supply. We will also continue to push the government to take immediate action on housing speculators, including taxing house flippers and limiting investment properties. Canadians can’t afford more Liberal inaction.”

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Public Forum: The No More Loopholes Act: Canada's Arms Exports and Human Rights Violation

This public forum is intended to build public support for this legislation by all Members of Parliament.
On January 30, join CCMS for a discussion with Jenny Kwan, Adel Iskandar, and Rachel Small, moderated by Am Johal, regarding the No More Loopholes Act.

January 30 | 4 PM
SFU Downtown Vancouver Campus | Harbour Centre | Room 2270
515 W Hastings Street, Vancouver

Bill C-233, the No More Loopholes Act, is a private member’s bill put forward by Vancouver-East MP Jenny Kwan in September 2025 to press Canada to abide by the Arms Trade Treaty that it signed in 2019. Currently arms exported to the US are exempted and have ended up being used by Israel in Gaza, by Saudia Arabia in Yemen and many other places. The private member’s bill will be voted on in Parliament at Second Reading in late-February.

This public forum is intended to build public support for this legislation.
Speakers:

Adel Iskandar, Director, CCMS
Jenny Kwan, MP, Vancouver-East
Alex Neve, Former Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada and 2025 Massey Lecturer
Rachel Small, World Without War
Moderated by Am Johal

Click image or link to reserve a spot - https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-no-more-loopholes-act-canadas-arms-exports-and-human-rights-violation-tickets-1975666448531?aff=oddtdtcreator&_gl=112d4ub6_gcl_auOTAyNjk5MDQ3LjE3NjkxMjM3NjM._gaMTg3NjM2OTUzNy4xNzY5MTIzNzYz_ga_R4BCVYL1QF*czE3NjkxMjM3NjMkbzEkZzEkdDE3NjkxMjM3NzYkajQ3JGwwJGgw

Open Letter: Continue funding for 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence

CBC: NDP MPs hear local concerns as caucus meeting gets underway in Nunavut

The temperature, though relatively mild for the Kivalliq region in January, also caught some of the NDP's Vancouver MPs a bit off guard.

"The minute you came out of the plane you felt immediately the difference between communities," said Vancouver East MP Jenny Kwan. "The wind, the cold was something that I have never experienced in all of my life."

Rankin Inlet Mayor Harry Towtongie said it's good to see southern politicians get a taste of the issues his community faces.

Click image or link to read the news story - https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/ndp-mps-hear-local-concerns-as-caucus-meeting-gets-underway-in-nunavut-9.7054586