QUESTION PERIOD — Infrastructure and Communities
Affordable Housing
October 22, 2024
Senator Gold, information from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, or CMHC, clearly shows that your government is failing to build the homes that Canadians want and need. Last month, housing starts in Nova Scotia were down 40% year over year. In Halifax, where housing is badly needed, it fell even further — down 61% as compared to September 2023. By the way, Senator Gold, in your hometown of Montreal, housing starts were down 59% over the same time frame.
If your government’s housing plan is working, how do you explain these truly abysmal figures?
Thank you for the question, senator. As I have said on many occasions here, the federal government has a role to play, and it does not shirk from that role in terms of housing. It is simply not the case that “The federal government is responsible for building houses in Canada.” That would be in complete disregard of not only constitutional jurisdiction but also the way that the actual market works and has worked for the benefit of all Canadians.
I am not going to play games with you, senator. I won’t try to be cute about the idea that somehow the Conservative Party of Canada is now looking to become even more statist than other parties far to the left. I remind us, nonetheless, that the government has made significant investments and made policy changes to encourage municipalities, provinces, territories and the private sector to ramp up their efforts. The government hopes that this will meet the needs of Canadians over time because there is a housing challenge, and no one — this government certainly included — would deny that.
Senator Gold, the CMHC is the federal government’s authority. As I quote from their report, “ . . . we remain well below what is required to restore affordability in Canada’s urban centres.” Again, if the government’s initiatives and plans are supposed to work, how do you explain what your own government’s housing authority is telling Canadians? You’re saying it’s not working.
It is not partisan. It is a fact.
I think I have answered your question, but I will try to answer it again. The federal government, through the CMHC, has an important role to play, and they are exercising those responsibilities, but they are not the only partner. They are not the only decision maker. They are not the only factor that affects how expensive a house may be in the Lower Mainland or in Westmount, Quebec, or in any number of places, whether it’s big, small or in between.
