Thank you for the question.
I didn't mention the federal surplus land initiative. Unfortunately, that initiative was also used mainly for private housing projects. So we can see the negative effect of not targeting investments enough to ensure that initiatives serve the non-profit sector first. Today, we heard a great deal about fiscal instruments used to encourage the private sector, but we mustn't forget that we're depriving ourselves of these public funds, which provide many tax advantages, and that private developers already enjoy them.
The Federal Land Initiative could also be improved. In Quebec, there are federal lands, notably in the Bridge-Bonaventure sector, that should be used for social housing, as requested by the community. So not only should this initiative be improved, but it should also be more targeted.
What do we mean by a "comprehensive, sustainable program"? It's a program that stands on its own. The federal government did this, prior to 1994, through programs targeting housing cooperatives, non-profit housing organizations and low-income housing. So, in our view, we need a program that stands on its own.
That said, a new co‑op program was announced two years ago in the budget. That program was welcomed. In fact, Quebec had said that the money could go into the Quebec program, which at the time was called AccèsLogis and provided funding for housing cooperatives. But in the end, we heard nothing more about the project. The program has yet to materialize. The federal government must have a greater sense of urgency, so that budget announcements come to fruition more quickly, even if that means setting up programs. The sector must be consulted, as it has proposals to offer.
I hope that answers your question, Mr. Ste‑Marie.