Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thanks to all witnesses. You're providing us with important contributions for the pre-budget report.
I want to start with Ms. Biss and Ms. McLachlan. Thank you for your very important presentation.
It's shocking to me that we're looking at 4.8 million Canadians living in poverty. I know in my area in New Westminster—Burnaby, we're seeing an increase in poverty. This is largely linked to an inability to provide housing. Jagmeet Singh, our national leader, and I hosted a round table in Burnaby last Friday with organizations that are trying desperately to keep the roof over the heads of their clients.
We met a number of people who are on the verge of homelessness, including one, Edward. He is a senior citizen who has worked all of his life as a tradesperson. He has a modest pension, and the pension just does not keep up with the cost of housing. He said to me, “Every morning, I go online desperately trying to find an affordable place to live, and I am competing with hundreds of other people who are doing the same thing. If there's something posted online that's over an hour old, I know it's already been taken.” In 11 days now, Edward will be homeless, because, despite the fact that he has been searching for weeks, he's been unable to find affordable housing.
I'd like to ask you what role the housing crisis, the homelessness crisis, that we're facing in this country is playing on the massive number of Canadians who are living in poverty. You specifically talk about an adequate level of investment in budget 2019. I think it would be very helpful to this committee if you gave us figures.
What would be your expectation? We have a crisis in this country. We have to deal with it. We can't wait for years and years. How best would the federal government be showing that it is serious about poverty reduction in budget 2019? What are the amounts? Where are the investments? Where would they need to go?