Today was interesting in the House of Commons. We heard the Prime Minister acknowledge that the government is looking at selling some of the federal buildings, potentially for housing. We know that in the 1970s and 1980s we had a strong co-op housing program. Before the Liberals pulled out of it in 1992, we were developing about 25,000 units a year. Approximately 10% of housing in Canada was non-market housing. I think we're at 3% now. Europe is around 30%.
This is what it looks like when you have 3% non-market housing. You have homelessness. You have housing shortages.
Given the recent Desjardins announcement, just to meet the immigration levels, never mind the housing shortage for Canadians right now, we have to increase housing starts by 50% next year.
I guess my question to you is this: When you're looking at selling properties, are you looking at making sure there are covenants that it's non-market housing? For-market housing has never solved a housing crisis anywhere in the world. Are you looking at safeguards and policies to ensure that, if those buildings are converted to housing, they're going to be staying in the hands of Canadians and used for affordable housing?