Business of Supply  Madam Chair, we must also talk about the right to housing and working on market speculation, and that is exactly what we have done. We have imposed a 1% tax on the value of real estate belonging to non-resident Canadians. We have banned foreign ownership for two years by imposing a moratorium.

Business of Supply  Madam Chair, of those 500,000 immigrants we want to bring to the country, we are hoping that one of the areas we can focus on is construction workers, who will enable us to build these units. Yes, it is a great project. This is a good project for the future, to address the labour shortage in this country.

Business of Supply  Madam Chair, once again, I agree with my colleague that we need to do more. Doing more involves the co-operation of all levels of government and all stakeholders, including the private sector, because the private sector is currently producing 95% of housing. We also need to work with the municipalities to ensure that we can increase the supply of affordable housing.

Business of Supply  Madam Chair, that is why the national housing strategy must be used to work on projects and programs that support increasing supply across the country. The private sector will be an integral part of this solution. Even though we are seeing a slowdown in housing starts, the private sector is at the table.

Business of Supply  Madam Chair, what I can tell my colleague about the co-op program is that it was developed with the Canadian Co-operative Association. The program was jointly developed. When we have more news, we will be happy to share it. One thing is certain: It has been more than 30 years since there has been a program for co-operatives.

Business of Supply  Madam Chair, we are very aware of the challenges of the market right now. What I can say to my colleague is that since 2015, in Quebec alone, the national housing co-investment fund has provided $348 million and 8,000 housing units. The national average rent paid for housing built with the national housing co-investment fund is $700.

Business of Supply  Madam Chair, when I referred to 500,000 housing units, I was talking about the $40 billion planned for the entire national housing strategy. The member wants numbers on Quebec. Under the co-investment fund, Quebec received $348 million. That represents 8,074 housing units. Since 2019, under the Reaching Home strategy, 62,000 people in this country have been prevented from becoming homeless, and 32,000 have found permanent housing.

Business of Supply  Madam Chair, I applaud the billions of dollars sent to Quebec since 2015. I was there this morning, as was my colleague. What I heard people say is that they are pleased with the national housing strategy, whether it is the national housing co-investment fund or the rapid housing initiative.

Business of Supply  Madam Chair, I would tell the deputy chief economist that that is exactly what we are doing. A variety of measures are needed to address the overall challenges targeted by the national housing strategy, which includes increasing the supply of housing across the country. That is exactly what all of our programs are doing, whether by addressing the right to housing, curbing market speculation or increasing supply.

Business of Supply  Madam Chair, as my colleague was saying, we must work on the entire spectrum of housing supply, from the most vulnerable, those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, to those who want to buy homes. We have to try to find solutions to narrow the generational gap that we have in this country.

Business of Supply  Madam Chair, increasing supply is the best way to address the price of homes and rents. That is what the national housing strategy aims to do: make sure that every province and municipality is a partner in making that happen, and increase supply all across this country.

Business of Supply  Madam Chair, I am glad my colleague asked that question, because I am a former city councillor who is now in the House. I was duly elected as a municipal councillor, and, for the first time in the House, we hear a leader attacking municipalities and the leaders of the municipalities who were duly elected.

Business of Supply  Madam Chair, after more than a decade of non-existent leadership on housing, the government was back at the table, not only with a plan, which is the national housing strategy, but also with money to support it, making sure we would leverage that money to get municipalities and provinces to also partner with the federal government, because it is a collaborative jurisdiction.

Business of Supply  Mr. Chair, I have spoken about this often in the House, but when I was younger, we never found a home that was adapted to the needs of my disabled brother, who was in a wheelchair. My mother, who is now retired, would not be able to afford housing on her own with the pension she is receiving.

Business of Supply  Mr. Chair, I believe that with the national housing strategy we are also giving partners the means to be real partners. The housing accelerator fund for municipalities will do just that. Our government has taken a systemic approach. I am thinking of the infrastructure programs that will be linked to transportation.