THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL FINANCE

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Wednesday, October 8, 2025
(11)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on National Finance met this day at 6:51 p.m., in room W110, 1 Wellington St., the chair, the Honourable Claude Carignan, P.C., presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Carignan, P.C., Forest, Galvez, Gignac, Hébert, Kingston, Loffreda, MacAdam, Miville-Dechêne and Ross (10).

Participating in the meeting: Michaël Lambert-Racine and Shaowei Pu, analysts, Library of Parliament.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, the committee continued its study of matters relating to federal estimates generally and other financial matters.

WITNESSES:

Canadian Labour Congress:

DT Cochrane, Senior Economist.

Deloitte:

Steve Aubin, Partner, Audit & Assurance, Accounting and Reporting Advisory.

DT Cochrane and Steve Aubin each made a statement and answered questions.

At 7:58 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 8 p.m., pursuant to rule 12-16(1)(d), the committee resumed in camera to discuss a draft agenda (future business).

It was agreed that the committee allow the audio recording of the in camera portion of today’s meeting, that one copy be kept with the clerk of the committee for consultation by committee members and/or their staff, and that the audio recording be destroyed by the clerk of the committee when authorized to do so by the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure, but no later than at the end of this parliamentary session.

It was agreed that the chair be authorized to seek authority from the Senate for the following order of reference:

That the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance be authorized to examine and report on federal programs and initiatives to support the creation of housing, including, but not limited to, the:

(a) launch of the Build Canada Homes agency and how it will coordinate its operations with those of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation in the delivery of affordable housing programs;

(b) conversion of federal lands into opportunities for housing development;

(c) off-site construction;

(d) role of municipalities; and

(e) development of affordable housing;

That the committee submit its final report to the Senate no later than March 31, 2026, and that the committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings for 180 days after the tabling of the final report; and

That the committee be permitted, notwithstanding usual practices, to deposit its reports on this study with the Clerk of the Senate, if the Senate is not then sitting, and that the reports be deemed to have been tabled in the Senate.

At 8:09 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Sara Gajic

Clerk of the Committee