Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I want to start by thanking all our partners in housing, the municipalities, provinces, indigenous communities, planners, builders and everybody else who is working together, because the trends are indeed moving in the right direction. Housing starts are up, housing sales are up, and rents are down. Things are moving in the right direction, thanks to everybody who is working hard toge…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to share the good news that the build Canada homes act, Bill C-20, has just passed the Senate. This is another great initiative we have under way to bring down the cost of housing and, in particular, rent. I would like to share that rents have fallen for 20 consecutive month and are down nearly 8% from their peak last year. We are seeing them decline in a number of provin…
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Mr. Speaker, there is some good news. I would like to point out that housing starts are 3% higher than in the same period last year. Completions have increased by 10%, meaning more homes are being finished. We are seeing growth in places like B.C., Ontario and Montreal. New construction is up by about 18%. We also know that sales are up as well and that the measures we put in place, such as the fi…
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Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to say that I will be sharing my time with the member of Parliament for Trois-Rivières whom I have the great honour of working with in our shared roles as parliamentary secretaries to the Minister of Infrastructure and Housing. I am thankful for the great privilege to speak today to Bill C-26, an act to authorize certain payments to be made out of the consolidated reven…
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Mr. Speaker, there is good news for Ontario residents and for the residents of Guelph. The deal that we have made with the Province of Ontario will be backdated to April 1 of this year. All new homes purchased since then will have a waiver of the HST. As I mentioned, that is the equivalent of saving $130,000 on a $1-million home. We are not stopping there. We also have affordable housing projects …
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Mr. Speaker, I am so excited that the legislation for Build Canada Homes has passed through the House. It will enable them to increase the tools that are available to them for financing affordable housing across this great country. They will have new tools that they did not have before. They will be able to go beyond grants and beyond loans. They will be able to really look forward at things like …
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Mr. Speaker, we have a comprehensive approach to addressing housing in this country, and with this bill we would help provinces and territories remove barriers that are holding back homebuilding. This includes measures such as lowering development charges, fees, levies or sales taxes on new homes. It would also support efforts to harmonize rules, improve internal trade and increase productivity in…
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Mr. Speaker, this is a timely question, as it is Filipino Heritage Month. As the member knows, we are making historic investments in infrastructure with the build communities strong fund. We are investing from coast to coast to coast. We look forward to working alongside that member and alongside communities so that we can build Canada strong.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to start by saying that the Gordie Howe International Bridge is a vital economic link between Canada and the United States. As we work toward an opening date, we are taking a collaborative approach, reflecting our shared ambition for this important trade corridor. As an entire team, we are committed to the timely opening of the bridge, and I hope the member opposite is ready to…
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Mr. Speaker, the Senate heard from witnesses, and we feel its amendment is reasonable and fair and addresses some of the concerns it heard. We have heard loud and clear from municipal leaders, police chiefs, transit workers, victims advocates, business owners and communities that we need to strengthen Canada's bail system, we need to toughen sentences for serious and violent crimes, we need to mod…
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Mr. Speaker, when we invest in the skills and experience of youth today, we create a stronger, more competitive workforce and drive long-term prosperity for the future. The federal government is creating thousands of jobs for young Canadians and will create thousands more. We are well aware that our economic future depends on the success of the work we do today as government. We have programs like…
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Mr. Speaker, we are helping young Canadians build their futures and we are making a generational investment in them. We are making these investments because we need to make sure that young Canadians secure a solid footing in the ever-changing job market. In doing that for them, we are doing it for all of Canada and for all Canadians. The 2026 spring economic update reaffirms this with a new $6-bil…
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Mr. Speaker, I am happy my colleague brought up transit workers. I know that as a Toronto MP, he is very committed to ensuring the safety of the TTC. I would like to point out that as acting mayor in 2023, I worked with Toronto council to call on the federal government to make bail harder to obtain for repeat violent offenders, and we are delivering that today with Bill C‑14. In addition, I worked…
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Mr. Speaker, we know that we need to do more to address homelessness in Canada, and that is why, with Build Canada Homes, we are investing $1 billion in supportive and transitional housing to help those who need it the most. Those are, in many cases, individuals suffering from mental health and addictions who need those wraparound supports, who want to come in off the street and improve their live…
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Mr. Speaker I am pleased to rise to speak to the message from the Senate concerning Bill C-14, the bail and sentencing reform act. Today's debate is not about whether Bill C-14 should proceed. Both chambers of Parliament have now spent considerable time studying this legislation. The House of Commons debated it, the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights studied it, witnesses testified, am…
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Mr. Speaker, at this moment, our government is making important investments in communities throughout Ontario, and these investments are going to create jobs for all Canadians. We know it is time to invest in Ontario. This is why we are investing in the Black Creek sanitary trunk sewer, the Kitchener central transit hub, the downtown connection hub in the city of Barrie, the Scarborough subway, th…
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Mr. Speaker, we are focused on doing the hard work of building our country and building our economy. Two weeks ago, our government announced $350 million in housing and infrastructure investments in the Yukon to deliver stronger communities in the north. Three weeks ago, we announced $61 million in funding for high-speed Internet projects in northern Manitoba. Four weeks ago, we celebrated station…
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Mr. Speaker, we thank the member for his advocacy for British Columbia. I am aware that the letter he sent to the department has been received. We are looking forward to having conversations about how we can continue to invest in British Columbia and how we can continue to invest in Canada. We were elected with a mandate to build Canada strong, and we will proceed with doing that.
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Mr. Speaker, in every corner of this country, from coast to coast to coast, we are seeing work on incredible projects that strengthen our economy while creating good jobs: the expansion of the Port of Montreal, the Darlington nuclear facility, the Mersey River wind farm project in Nova Scotia, the Scarborough subway extension, the Hamilton LRT and the upgrade of the Cambie Street Bridge in Vancouv…
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Mr. Speaker, our Prime Minister has been clear: It is time to invest to build Canada strong. I will point out that in that member's riding, that includes the Black Creek sanitary sewer, which will expand waste-water servicing capacity to the Black Creek watershed. This is just one of the many projects that we have under way to build Canada strong. We are investing in infrastructure, and we are inv…
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Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House we believe now is the time to invest and build our communities. We are creating jobs while building housing and building infrastructure. I wonder if our colleague from Alberta could let us know what projects she would cut from our budget. Is it the investment to rural communities across Alberta to expand fleets and transit services, and plan for the future? I…
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Mr. Speaker, May is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month, a time for the MS community to come together and raise awareness about this neurological disease. Canadians are wearing carnations today because they are a symbol of hope for the MS community. Everyone's experience with the disease is different. The symptoms, severity and effectiveness of treatment can vary, which is why the work of MS Canada…
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Madam Speaker, when Conservatives talk about spending, they ignore the fact that these are investments that build communities and the infrastructure that we need. The member opposite is from Ontario. I would like to know what projects he would like to cancel. Is it our commitment to GO 2.0? Is it the Scarborough subway extension? Is it the Hamilton LRT? Is it the Darlington nuclear project? Is it …
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Madam Speaker, on this side of the House, we believe that now is the time to invest in and build our communities. My colleague is from Alberta. Can he explain to Albertans which projects he would like to cut? Is it water infrastructure to support the community of St. Albert? Is it the new Japanese community centre in Calgary? Is it 355 affordable homes in Edmonton, made possible by Build Canada Ho…
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Madam Speaker, I should also mention another important affordability measure to support those most affected by the rising price of food. In January, the government announced the new Canada groceries and essentials benefit to help more than 12 million Canadians afford day-to-day essentials. The benefit builds on the existing GST credit and will provide additional support through a one-time top-up p…
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Madam Speaker, in a rapidly changing world, the government is focused on what we can control, which is building a stronger economy to make life more affordable for Canadians. Many Canadians continue to face affordability pressures as the cost of essential goods, housing and everyday expenses remain high. That is why the government has also taken action to help Canadians with daily expenses. For ex…
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Madam Speaker, we know affordability is the single most pressing issue for many Canadians. The government is committed to developing a national food security strategy. This strategy would make it easier for Canadians to access affordable and nutritious food, and build on Canada's resilience and capacity to meet domestic needs. From the beginning, we have placed people and affordability at the cent…
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Madam Speaker, our government is relentless in its efforts to make life more affordable for Canadians. Many hard-working Canadians continue to face affordability pressures as the cost of essential goods, housing and everyday expenses remains high. This is why our actions have been focused on ensuring Canadians keep more of their hard-earned money in their pockets. The spring economic update, “Cana…
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Madam Speaker, the Build Canada Homes portal is open and we are encouraging all applicants with shovel-ready projects to submit and to apply. We are looking for projects from coast to coast to coast, including in British Columbia. The Government of Canada is taking a bold new approach and making unprecedented investments in order to increase housing supply across Canada. This includes both afforda…
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Madam Speaker, the Government of Canada is committed to building homes across the country: smarter, faster, more affordably and at a pace not seen in generations. We are also investing in the essential infrastructure that is needed to support new home construction and strengthen communities. Through budget 2025, we are making generational investments of $25 billion over five years for housing and …
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Mr. Speaker, our government has been very committed to youth employment. We have Build Canada Homes, which has an initial capitalization of $13 billion, and that will create jobs in the trades. More recently, there is the $51 billion to build infrastructure across this country, which will build upon the work we are doing at the Major Projects Office, including in my home of Durham, where the Darli…
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Mr. Speaker, that project involves clean energy, the creation of local jobs and economic growth. It was approved by the Canada Infrastructure Bank through an arms-length process led by non-partisan public servants. Even the Progressive Conservative government in Nova Scotia supports the project. It is easy to see why. It will create hundreds of good jobs for Nova Scotians, strengthen local communi…
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Mr. Speaker, I was just wondering if the member maybe could share the importance of partnerships and building partnerships with municipalities, with provinces, with the non-profit sector and with indigenous communities, and comment on the fact that this really is a whole-of-government approach. We need all hands on deck if we want to build the housing Canadians need right now. In particular, I wou…
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians want action, not political games, and that is what our government is delivering. We are creating hundreds of local jobs, supporting communities and building energy projects and infrastructure projects from coast to coast to coast that power homes and grow our economy. The Conservatives opposite can keep talking on that side of the House, but we are about action.
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Mr. Speaker, we are creating high-paying jobs for young people with our investments in housing. Build Canada Homes will invest $13 billion in housing. It will catalyze new methods of construction, new jobs in factories, new jobs from coast to coast to coast, using Canadian materials, Canadian steel and Canadian lumber. Yes, that is trees to keys. It will get our youth working, and then they can li…
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Mr. Speaker, our government cares deeply about affordability for young Canadians. That is why we have the first-time homebuyer GST relief before the House. It is also why we are improving the cost of housing. We are bringing it down by investing in housing-enabling infrastructure and by investing in modern methods of construction. Importantly, this is going to create good-paying, highly trained, s…
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Mr. Speaker, Canada's housing system is facing complex problems that require targeted solutions. Far too many Canadians, especially younger generations, are struggling to find homes they can afford. Housing costs continue to rise, while supply is not keeping pace with growing demand. In response, the Government of Canada is taking immediate action. Budget 2025 is making generational investments of…
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Mr. Speaker, budget 2025 includes generational investments in housing and infrastructure that will accelerate housing construction and grow Canada's economy. We are taking the next step forward with the introduction of Bill C-20, the Build Canada Homes act. Now is the time to build upon the progress being made by Build Canada Homes and get homes built for Canadians across the country. Build Canada…
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Mr. Speaker, Conservatives claim they care about young people, yet they voted against the national housing strategy. They voted against the home savings account. They voted against expanding mortgage criteria. They are voting against the GST cut. They are voting against Bill C-227 to establish a national strategy for housing for young Canadians. A vote against these measures is a vote against youn…
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Madam Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member of Parliament for Taiaiako'n—Parkdale—High Park. I appreciate the opportunity to appear here today to speak in support of the Build Canada Homes act. This landmark legislation would establish Build Canada Homes as a Crown corporation dedicated to building and expanding access to more affordable homes in Canada. Over time, Canada's housing ne…
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Madam Speaker, I am wondering if the member could speak to the importance of partnership. Dunn House is a beautiful example of partnership, with different governments and agencies coming together. We heard comments earlier from the opposition that talked about overriding the rights and responsibilities of municipalities. I am wondering if the member can speak to the importance of partnership.
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Madam Speaker, establishing Build Canada Homes as a Crown corporation provides the legal and operational flexibility and autonomy needed to deliver on its mandate while maintaining a clear accountability framework to government. It allows Build Canada Homes to hold assets independently, to invest and to engage in complex financial transactions. Build Canada Homes is designed to do more than just f…
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Madam Speaker, I am delighted to speak to my previous role as deputy mayor in the city of Toronto. Working alongside partners, we passed an ambitious plan for affordable housing in the city of Toronto. We also passed rules to allow multiplexes across the city and multitenant homes. We cut down on red tape. We improved zoning so that it made it easier to build. We also transformed the way we do pro…
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Madam Speaker, I agree that we need better timelines. I agree that we need reform, but the way to do that is through partnership, including with municipalities. As a former municipal leader, I think that our colleague across the floor would believe in that as well. The statement from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities welcomes the federal government's Build Canada Homes initiative as a stro…
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Madam Speaker, we are very much committed to transitional and supportive housing. There is a $1-billion allocation through Build Canada Homes in that regard. We look forward to partners bringing forward land. We will bring forward capital, and we need to rely on the provinces for that much-needed operational support.
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Madam Speaker, importantly, we realize that municipalities are our partners and that we need to work together to advance housing in municipalities from coast to coast to coast. We have exciting partnerships under way, including right here in Ottawa. Canada's new government has secured a new partnership with the City of Ottawa to build 3,000 mixed income and affordable housing units across the city…
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Mr. Speaker, it was most disappointing to see the Conservatives, yesterday, voting against a national strategy for housing for young Canadians. On this side, we care deeply about housing affordability for young Canadians. That is why we have the Build Canada Homes act before the House, which would catalyze innovation in homebuilding and bring down home costs for young Canadians and all Canadians.
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Mr. Speaker, Conservatives have the opportunity to work with us on this side of the House by supporting the budget implementation act, which has funding for housing-enabling infrastructure through the build Canada strong fund. It also includes measures to decrease the GST, in particular for first-time homebuyers and young Canadians. Importantly, the Conservatives can support the Build Canada Homes…
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are all talk, and we are all action. In 100 days, Build Canada Homes has secured landmark agreements with provinces and cities. It has advanced construction on six federal lands. We have lined up thousands of new homes for construction. Over the past month alone, affordable housing projects have gotten well under way in Nova Scotia, Quebec and Ontario. We are ready t…
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Mr. Speaker, we have lots of respect for all the individuals who are out there building important infrastructure in Canada. We expect all employers to follow the rules to ensure that Canadians are safe day in and day out. We will continue to work forward so we can make sure that happens.
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