This demand has been made throughout Canada for several years now. In 1993, before the cutbacks were made, the government opted out of this sector entirely. The housing budget represented 1.3% of total government spending at the federal level. At that time, the UN told us that this was not enough and that we needed to increase the amount.
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities or the mayors of large cities said that 1% of their budget was earmarked for housing and that this figure had to be increased to 2%. The $2 billion correspond more or less to this additional budgetary amount, which is, moreover, an investment. Even the last budget recognized this to a certain extent because it called for investments in housing. When you invest in housing, you are helping people who are in difficulty, but you are also contributing to the economy. In times of economic crisis, investing in housing is a choice that is not only necessary but can be easily defended.