I'm sure he was a good host.
It's also fitting that you would end your proceedings, or at least this part of your study, in a place like Toronto. This may not be the generally held consensus around the table, but Toronto's a pretty awesome place in which to live, and it may be one of the best places in the world in which to live. One of the things we are particularly proud of here in Toronto is the fact that, yes, we have a lot of cranes, and yes, we are a beacon of prosperity, but we're also a place where diversity truly is our strength and our motto. It's based on values like fairness, belonging, opportunity, and the kinds of things that really hold our community together.
Those values and all of the things that really make us proud of the places in which we live—Toronto is not alone in this, as these are the same values that hold Canada together—are being compromised by things like the growth of precarious employment in our city; the growing gap between neighbourhoods, between those who are doing well and those who are not doing so well; and the real challenges facing the next generation. What's happening in terms of the intergenerational deal, and what will happen to our legacy in terms of the opportunities for the next generation? The idea of a poverty reduction plan is really the foundation in terms of reinforcing the kinds of values that make this the best country in the world in which to live, so you have a great responsibility that we really appreciate.
There are things around a poverty reduction strategy that we've learned are really important. It starts with having a plan. This is not a one-off. It is not an announcement or a ribbon cutting. It has to be a multi-year endeavour. It helps to have targets and timetables so that we're all pushing in the same direction. It really helps to understand as well that there's no silver bullet. There's no one sector. Government can't do it alone, and neither can the private sector or United Way. We're all part of the solution. Having a plan with a target helps us all push in the right direction.
You will hear a lot about investments and the need for new investments. Those are absolutely required. The Canada child tax benefit is an absolutely historic achievement that will be a game-changer when it comes to moving the needle on child poverty in Canada. We'll begin to see those results fairly soon.
I want to do something different today and talk about, in addition to those investments, five ideas that the federal government could implement. They have very modest or no cost at all, and could start to be implemented right away. I'll try to move through them very quickly.
The first one relates to the very significant investments in infrastructure that the federal government is putting in place. In addition to building roads, bridges, sewers, and the kinds of things that make our communities and economy go, I would urge you to also consider the role of community infrastructure and community hubs. In our own backyard here in Toronto, we're seeing that the city is changing, the region is changing. In some neighbourhoods that were originally built as primarily residential neighbourhoods, those neighbourhoods are changing. They are now destinations for newcomers. They are the places where there is affordable housing. The problem is that those neighbourhoods don't have any community infrastructure. We at United Way, working with many of our partners, have built community hubs, one-stop shops where people can get the services they need. I would encourage you, in the envelope of infrastructure investments, to think about opening up opportunities for community hubs.
Second, also on the infrastructure side, the board of trade in Toronto just released a study showing that 147,000 new jobs will be created in the trades, and they will require new supply. Through infrastructure and community benefits, you can think about not just how you're building transit and other needed hard infrastructure but also how we're connecting people, especially young people who are looking for opportunities, to careers in the trades that they might otherwise never have thought of. We can use a dollar to build not just the things we need but also opportunities for young people. Through projects here in Toronto, we're actually modelling and piloting how some of those approaches could spark partnerships that provide opportunities for people to pursue careers at the same time that we drive our economy.
Third, youth are facing challenges, but not all youth are facing the same kinds of challenges. There's a youth employment strategy that the federal government has in place. It's booked. It's happening. There are investments happening. In terms of the youth who are furthest away from the labour market, who are facing the greatest barriers, we need to really target resources, as part of the youth employment strategy, at those youth. If we don't act, they are the ones who are most likely to fall through the cracks and the ones who are most likely to cost us down the line in terms of health, criminal justice, lost productivity, and all kinds of other costs that will not just compromise our values but also hurt our bottom line.
Fourth, community service infrastructures are absolutely essential, but how do Canadians connect with those services? At 211 is one way. It is a one-stop shop that is 24/7, multilingual, with very high satisfaction rates, and it can connect people to the services they need.
Lastly, the government is investing in a national housing strategy, and, as part of that, we hope it is about to announce a fiscal framework. We think it's time, alongside with new builds, repairs, and addressing homelessness, for a portable housing benefit. That could be a game-changer when it comes to addressing the needs of Canadians. Evidence shows that such benefits, when properly designed, do not inflate rents, complement social housing by freeing up space to those who need it most, and are cost effective. There are five or six provinces that are currently developing housing benefits.
Yes, we need new builds, but those will take time. Yes, we need repairs, but that doesn't give you any new supply. Housing benefits are the most efficient, broad way to start helping Canadians now, and we would encourage you to consider that as part of a national housing strategy and a poverty reduction strategy.
Thank you very much for your time. I look forward to the discussion.