Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Mississauga—Malton for his important question and hard work on this important file. We know that the cost of affordable rent is increasingly out of reach for many Canadians. That is why we introduced legislation to introduce a one-time top-up of $500, which would help 1.8 million renters and would be on top of the existing average $2,500 as part of the Cana…
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Mr. Speaker, we understand the issue. That is why we have already implemented a 1% annual tax on the value of non-resident, non-Canadian residential real estate. We are introducing a two-year ban on foreign investment in Canadian residential real estate. We are committed to reviewing the tax treatment of real estate investment trusts. We are launching a federal review of housing as an asset class.…
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Mr. Speaker, I agree with the hon. member. We are committed to a “for indigenous, by indigenous” urban, rural and northern indigenous housing strategy. That is why, in budget 2022, we invested more than $4 billion to close the gap that exists in indigenous communities. This includes a $300-million initial investment in an urban, rural and northern indigenous housing strategy. Even in existing prog…
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Mr. Speaker, we know that we need to be there for Canadians who are facing increased rent. That is why we introduced the Canada housing benefit, which is already providing an average of $2,500 to renters across the country who are struggling with the cost of rent. However, we are not stopping there. We have introduced a one-time top-up to the Canada housing benefit of $500, which will go to help a…
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Mr. Speaker, we are providing real help to Canadian renters through the Canada housing benefit, which is already providing, on average, $2,500 to many vulnerable renters across the country. In recent legislation, we have introduced a top-up to that Canada housing benefit with a one-time payment of $500. If the member for Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon cared about Canadian renters, he would speak to…
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Mr. Speaker, we know that speculative investments in the real estate sector are contributing to pushing home prices higher. That is why we have legislated an annual 1% tax on vacant, non-residential, non-Canadian owned properties, as well as a two-year ban on foreign ownership of Canadian residential real estate. We have also committed to reviewing the tax treatment of real estate investment trust…
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Mr. Speaker, the case the hon. member is referring to obviously touches all of us. When a member of our community is targeted and does not have access to safe and affordable housing and is on the street, it diminishes all of us. We are committed to a “for indigenous, by indigenous” urban, rural and northern housing strategy. That is why in budget 2022 we dedicated $300 million as a first installme…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to remind the hon. member that we have been very much focused on putting in place cutting-edge programs, such as the Canada housing benefit, which is now in place in 10 provinces and three territories, and on delivering direct rental supports right into the pockets of Canadian renters in vulnerable situations. On top of that, we have been building affordable rental units from c…
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Mr. Speaker, we know that it is getting harder for many Canadians to afford the increased rent. That is why today we introduced legislation to provide a $500 federal top-up to the Canada housing benefit. This will help 1.8 million low-income Canadians and will be on top of the already existing $2,500, on average, from the Canada housing benefit. On this side of the House, we will always have the b…
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Mr. Speaker, we are absolutely focused on the issue of housing affordability in this country. That is why we have put forward real solutions like the housing accelerator fund, which is about increasing housing supply. It is also about turning more Canadian renters into homeowners. It is about introducing the first-time homebuyers' tax credit and putting in place a first-time homebuyer savings acco…
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Mr. Speaker, we are very aware of the need to build more housing supply in Canada. That is why we have introduced the housing accelerator fund. That is why we are investing $4 billion that will go directly into municipalities so that they can build more housing supply and so that they can do it faster. We are the only government in Canadian history that has taken the step of creating systemic chan…
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Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the hon. member's concern on this issue. We have invested in the rapid housing initiative, for example, a program that is aimed at the most vulnerable. The member's city of Edmonton has actually benefited, to the tune of hundreds of permanently affordable new homes for the most vulnerable through our investments in the co-investment fund and our expected investments throu…
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Mr. Speaker, whenever Canadians find themselves on the street, it diminishes us all. We have invested over $562 million in the federal Reaching Home program, which targets the most vulnerable Canadians on the street. In addition to that, during the pandemic we invested another $400 million. We are giving stability and certainly to frontline organizations serving the most vulnerable. Through the ra…
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Mr. Speaker, I have no doubt in saying they are facing a crisis of leadership, because the hon. member fails to mention his very leader refuses to help municipalities with supply. His member for Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon says that we should step back and not invest in provisional housing programs. He is opposed, on the record, to the foreign ban of Canadian residential real estate and has oppo…
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Mr. Speaker, the hon. member should speak to his leader, who has trashed the housing accelerator fund, which is all about supply. His colleagues from Calgary Centre, Edmonton Riverbend, Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon and Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola have all said contradictory things about housing supply, about support for first-time homebuyers, about building more affordable housing in this…
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Mr. Speaker, we are doing exactly that through the housing accelerator fund. The housing accelerator fund is all about supply, supply, supply, but they are on record as opposing the housing accelerator fund—
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Mr. Speaker, we have taken a number of important steps in collaboration and conjunction with the Muslim community in Canada, including holding the first-ever national summit on Islamophobia and dedicating January 29 as the National Day of Remembrance and Action Against Islamophobia. We have committed as a government to appoint a special representative to combat Islamophobia and we are the first go…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his really important advocacy for this really important work. As we commemorate the one-year anniversary of the London attack and the five-year anniversary of the Quebec mosque shooting, we know that Islamophobia is a troubling and real fact for far too many Canadian Muslims in Canada. That is why our government is creating the new position of special repre…
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Mr. Speaker, that is a lot of hot air to cover 10 years of inaction on housing. We are the government that brought back national leadership on housing. We are investing more than ever before to help Canadians access their dream of home ownership. Every time in this House when we have brought measures to help Canadians access—
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Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is absolutely right. One of the key tools to making sure that there is more supply for Canadians is to actually invest in housing supply. That is exactly what the housing accelerator fund is about. We will invest $4 billion in municipal governments to make sure that we invest in their systems so they can build more supply and they can build more supply faster. We also …
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Mr. Speaker, the reason they cannot handle my answer is that I am exposing their bankrupt policies and their fake rhetoric in this House. For 10 years, they had a chance to invest in affordable housing and provide national leadership on an important issue for Canadians. What did they do? They downloaded housing to provinces and municipalities. One would think that they would learn from their time …
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for Vaughan—Woodbridge for his excellent question and work on this really important file. Last week, I was thrilled to announce $121 million to build over 430 shelters and transitional homes in over 15 municipalities across Canada. This work is being done together with 14 provincial and territorial shelter associations. These extra shelter beds and tran…
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Mr. Speaker, on Friday we announced a historic investment of $121 million to invest in shelters and transitional housing for women and children fleeing gender-based violence. This is going to support 16 projects across the country in virtually every province and at least one territory. I am happy to work with the hon. member to see if we can continue to support projects in Winnipeg.
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Madam Speaker, we know that we need to increase housing supply in this country to give more Canadians the opportunity of home ownership. We also know that we need to help first-time homebuyers with a tax-free savings account so they can buy their first home. We have banned foreign ownership of Canadian residential real estate to free up more homes for Canadian first-time homebuyers. We have all th…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for Richmond Centre for his important work on this issue. This year's Asian Heritage Month is continuing a legacy of greatness, and throughout this month we celebrate the countless Asian Canadians who have contributed so much to our country. Earlier this month, our government also celebrated the 20th anniversary of Asian Heritage Month. I encourage all …
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Mr. Speaker, it is really interesting to hear the Conservatives talk about the dream of home ownership, because every time they get a chance to actually do something about it, they vote against it. When we brought in measures to increase housing supply, what did they do? They voted against it. When we brought in measures to enable first-time homebuyers to save up to $40,000, what did they do? They…
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Mr. Speaker, recently at the HUMA committee, the Canadian Home Builders' Association called our $4-billion investment in the housing accelerator fund “a once-in-a-generation opportunity” to build more housing supply. What did the Conservatives do when that came on the floor of the House of Commons? They voted against it. They talk about more supports for municipalities to build more housing supply…
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Mr. Speaker, we are dead set on making sure that we continue our investments in housing. Budget 2022 has prioritized affordable housing investments, help for first-time homebuyers and doubling the housing supply. We are making sure that, through the national housing strategy, we work with developers, the private sector, non-profits, municipalities and provinces to get the help Canadians need so th…
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Mr. Speaker, the hon. member for Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola should have a talk with the member of Parliament for Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, because that member believes that we should just download the cost of housing to provinces; his leader believes we should just download the cost to municipalities, and his other colleague, from Calgary Centre, believes that we should not help firs…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for her strong advocacy on affordable housing. I was really pleased to join the member in February to announce 157 new homes for seniors and persons with disabilities, with an investment of over $44 million. This is the national housing strategy at work, but we are not stopping there. Through budget 2022, we are investing an additional $14.1 billion. We…
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Mr. Speaker, our government has always believed in collaboration with all orders of government to benefit Canadians. The member opposite should know that we have a strong track record on provincial, federal, territorial and municipal collaboration. The news flash is that we now have affordable child care in Canada. That is as a result of collaboration between our government and 10 provinces and th…
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Mr. Speaker, the solution to housing affordability is housing supply. We are collaborating with municipalities through the housing accelerator fund to build 100,000 new homes in the next two years and double the number of new homes built in the next 10 years. We are also extending supports through the first-time homebuyer incentive and the tax-free savings account to first-time homebuyers. We are …
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Mr. Speaker, the hon. member talks about housing as a basic right. When we brought forward the National Housing Strategy Act to recognize housing as a human right, that party voted against it. That is not—
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Mr. Speaker, the best way to deal with housing affordability is to increase housing supply and to do it faster. Unfortunately, if the member opposite is so concerned about housing supply, she should talk to her leader, who opposes our collaboration with municipalities to increase housing supply. She should talk to her colleague from Calgary Centre, who opposes a ban on foreign ownership. She shoul…
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Mr. Speaker, what Canadians do not need is a mishmash of conflicting policies from the official opposition. The leader of the official opposition believes that we should download the costs of housing to municipalities. The member for Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon believes that we should download the costs to provinces. The member for Calgary Centre believes that we should not ban foreign owners. T…
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Mr. Speaker, the reason they cannot handle my answer is that we called them out on their plan—
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Mr. Speaker, budget 2022 actually does four things. We are seeking to double the supply of new housing in the next decade by introducing programs such as the housing accelerator fund. We are helping first-time homebuyers with a tax-free savings account of up to $40,000, by doubling the first-time homebuyer tax credit and by extending the first-time homebuyer incentive. In addition to that, we are …
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Mr. Speaker, I invite the hon. member to read the entire budget, because the budget actually doubles down on so much more housing supply in Canada: 6,000 more co-op housing units, new housing—
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Mr. Speaker, our budget contains a lot of measures to build more housing supply: 100,000 new homes through the housing accelerator fund, 6,000 more homes through new co-op buildings, 6,000 more homes through the rapid housing initiative and 20,000 more homes through the national housing co-investment fund. That is the supply we are taking about.
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Mr. Speaker, once again I will take this opportunity to unequivocally state that our government is not considering charging capital gains tax on primary residences. Any suggestion otherwise is false. The party opposite has repeated this misinformation and disinformation in the House and in the media. Instead of engaging in disinformation, we engaged in building more affordable homes and making mor…
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Mr. Speaker, in budget 2022, housing measures and investments deal with precisely what the hon. member is talking about: making sure that we double the housing supply in this country. Canada has the fastest-growing population in the G7, but our housing supply has not kept up with that. We are implementing the housing accelerator fund to build 100,000 new homes. We are helping first-time homebuyers…
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Mr. Speaker, this is what the mayor of Winnipeg, Brian Bowman, said about the rapid housing initiative: This program has been a huge success for Winnipeg. I would invite members on the other side to look at their record. They voted against the first-time homebuyer incentive. They voted against the rapid housing initiative. They voted against the Canada housing benefit. They voted against every sin…
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Mr. Speaker, every Canadian deserves safe and affordable housing. Since 2015, we have invested more than $30 billion in affordable housing and introduced Canada's very first national housing strategy. Our plan, worth more than $72 billion, has already helped more than two million Canadian families get the housing they need. We know that there is still work to be done and that is why, within this m…
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Mr. Speaker, it is really difficult to take Conservatives seriously on the issue of housing affordability. They say one thing in this august chamber and then outside, in committee—
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Mr. Speaker, I wish the member for Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola had a conversation on housing and a united approach with his colleagues for Calgary Centre, Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon and Simcoe North. They have all trashed the national housing strategy. They said that we should pull back from measures to help first-time homebuyers. They are against housing supply. They are against housin…
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Mr. Speaker, I think it is really difficult for them to hear the inconsistencies on housing affordability. That is why we are hearing a lot of noise on the other side. Let me set the record straight. On first-time homebuyers, on housing affordability and on making sure that Canadians have access to their dream of home ownership, Conservatives are nowhere to be found. They say one thing in this aug…
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Mr. Speaker, all Canadians deserve a safe and affordable place to call home. If the Conservatives will not listen to me, perhaps they will listen to the former Conservative minister and current Mayor of London, Ed Holder. With regard to our investments through the rapid housing initiative, he said: This funding...will save lives and ultimately improve the lives of those who come to occupy these de…
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Mr. Speaker, I would urge the hon. member to look at what the national housing strategy is doing in his home province of Alberta. In Alberta, we are investing $444 million to support 35,000 households and pay rent. What does he have to say about that? It is not only that. He should have a conversation with his colleagues from various parts of the country who continue to talk down federal investmen…
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Mr. Speaker, I wish the hon. member would look at the federal housing investments through just one program in the national housing strategy in his home province of Ontario. Through the Canada housing benefit, we are investing $1.46 billion to support over 50,000 households to pay the rent. That is a record—
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Mr. Speaker, I guess the record of supporting 50,000 households to pay their rent through an investment of $1.46 billion is making the other side heckle. Let me tell members what the hon. member who asked the question said about the national housing strategy. He said that we should “pull back” from federal leadership and investments in affordable housing. Do members know what he said about the fir…
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