Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Over the last year, we've provided nearly $12 million in funding through the housing accelerator fund to reduce red tape and speed up housing construction in the city of St. Albert, in Mr. Cooper's riding, although he isn't here today. That's right, we're not allowed to say that he isn't here. In any case, he's a member in good standing of this committee. The city recorded 966 new housing units in April of this year.
All of this is important work, but we know that more needs to be done. We need to work with provinces and municipalities across jurisdictions to continue aligning policies. We must continue supporting the most vulnerable and investing in our communities ourselves. We need to seize opportunities when they arise.
That brings me to British Columbia, where the 2,200 housing units represent a real opportunity. Through this proposed measure, we have an opportunity to provide housing to more than 2,200 families and individuals more quickly and at a lower cost than if we had to build those units ourselves. That part is important. It's less expensive, and the units are already there. I don't think letting this opportunity pass is a way to respond to a crisis.
We need to wait for the details of this program. As I said earlier, we don't yet have the details we need to know where these opportunities will arise, but the data on vacant condos are clear. We have thousands of vacant units: 2,200 in the Abbotsford-Mission census metropolitan area, 67 in the Chilliwack census metropolitan area, 571 in the Kelowna census metropolitan area, 598 in the Victoria area and 961 in Richmond. These are available housing units that could be occupied. We'll know more once the final details are available.
Is there not a single Conservative member in those metropolitan areas who wants to see those units put to use? We aren't seeing them.
Colleagues, the time has come to roll up our sleeves and respond to the needs of Canadians. This motion does none of that.
Thank you.