What more can I tell you? We still have no clear picture of the way in which each of the groups has experienced this pandemic, except what I was able to describe to you based on what has made the headlines or the number of calls that we have received in recent months. They were dealing with COVID-19, but what made things untenable is that they were also dealing with a housing shortage. That shortage is still with us. Whether there's a second wave or not, we still have a housing shortage.
That shortage is a reality in the large cities of Quebec and Canada but it is even more of a reality in indigenous territories. In our opinion, it is clear that every effort must be made in order to create new housing as quickly as possible to assist that segment of the population.
We know, as scientists are telling us, that because of climate change, pandemics are going to increase in the coming years and decades. We are going through one at the moment and we are finding it difficult. But goodness knows how many others are apparently waiting for us, because we are heading for serious environmental problems. Clearly, in that context, we have to act starting now, if only to avoid the worst of it.
That is more or less my message. Yes, some steps can be taken immediately, if only to provide households with the income they need to have suitable housing. We can't ask them to finance that effort because they have no savings. That makes no sense. Renters have no houses on which they can take out a mortgage. They have no goods they can sell, for example. Social housing has to be developed as quickly as possible. However, it has to be built properly in order to make sure that it will last.
I do not know whether that answers your question. One thing is for sure: we do not have a precise picture of the situation for people with disabilities. There have been calls for assistance, but is difficult to quantify the needs. However, we know that there is always a need for housing for those with disabilities, if only because the population is aging.