Finance committee  That's an excellent question, Mr. Blaikie. Thank you for raising it. Yes, we haven't addressed that today, but the use of public lands is a concern for us. We have to consider various models and think differently about this so we can respond to the current crisis. Under one of those models—and there are many—housing could be built on municipal, provincial or even federal property.

Finance committee  Thank you. That's an excellent question. We know that bread and butter generally aren't taxed because they're viewed as basic goods. However, housing, for a first-time buyer, is a necessity. So it should also be considered a basic good, and first-time buyers should be exempted from paying the GST on a new home.

Finance committee  Thank you for your question. Yes, it's one of the existing measures, but it isn't the only one. It shouldn't be viewed as the only measure. We need many measures to promote housing construction and home ownership. We want there to be an intergenerational plan enabling parents to help their children access ownership.

Finance committee  Thank you for that question. I'll be answering in French. We're obviously very pleased with that announcement, just as we were when it was announced that the GST would be eliminated on rental housing construction. However, according to CMHC, there will be a shortfall of 1.2 million units in Quebec by the end of 2023.

Finance committee  Mr. Chair, thank you for welcoming us to the Standing Committee on Finance as part of your study on government policy decisions and market forces that have led to increases in the cost of buying or renting a home in Canada. The Association des professionnels de la construction et de l'habitation du Québec, or APCHQ, is a private, non-profit organization that brings together more than 20,000 housing and construction businesses in 13 regional associations.