Depending on where we are in Canada, because different municipalities are under different provincial jurisdictions, we are well positioned to know the needs in our municipalities as far as housing, social housing, and the occupancy rate. All of those are addressed in the submission we did on a national housing policy.
In some jurisdictions, municipalities do invest in complementarity with the federal government, with the provincial government, and also with local organizations on the ground that are required to invest in infrastructure to be able to house different people
in some vulnerable communities.
The services provided to the public in response to demands for housing, whether it is affordable housing, social housing or housing to address homelessness, are largely a municipal responsibility. Funding from the federal and provincial governments can make a great difference in people's lives and also for the municipalities that would be able to provide all their citizens with affordable, reasonable, safe and accessible housing.
You are aware that 1.5 million Canadians have to spend more than 30% of their income on housing. This is completely unacceptable. Without adequate funding from all levels of government, we will not be able to address and overcome the housing crisis in Canada. I feel that it is one of the essential services that we must provide to our people.