Human Resources Committee on Dec. 8th, 2020

[Adam Vaughan, Liberal, Spadina—Fort York, ON]

It's the same project that's under way in Vancouver, B.C. In fact, B.C. is the place that started modular housing and has been using the local workforce to both build the modules and assemble them on sites when the projects are approved.

[Romy Bowers]

Just as one point of clarification with respect to the rapid housing, we're just in the process of dispensing funds. The construction has not yet begun. We expect that there will be similar types of projects to those found in Vancouver and Toronto.

[Adam Vaughan, Liberal, Spadina—Fort York, ON]

You don't build them on another continent, ship them across to Canada, put them on a train and take them to a local community. They're assembled more or less close to the site before they're built finally. That's the model of modular housing that has been embraced. It has to be quick. You can't wait six months for delivery.

[Romy Bowers]

That's correct. There's a 12-month limit for the construction.

[Adam Vaughan, Liberal, Spadina—Fort York, ON]

Okay. In terms of—

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Thank you, Mr. Vaughan and Ms. Bowers.

Ms. Chabot, you have two and a half minutes.

[Louise Chabot, Bloc, Thérèse-De Blainville, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'm going to ask a question about the student loans mentioned in the fall economic statement. $329.4 million was announced to eliminate interest on Canada student loans and Canada apprentice loans for fiscal 2021-22.

Since these programs do not apply to Quebec students, can you give us the details about compensation for Quebec students further to this announcement?

[Lori MacDonald]

I'll ask my colleague Mr. Perlman if he has any details on that.

[Mark Perlman]

I apologize that I don't have any details on that, but I'm sure we can do a follow-up for you.

[Louise Chabot, Bloc, Thérèse-De Blainville, QC]

Thank you. I am mainly interested in how Quebec students will be compensated for this program.

My other question I have already asked. You are aware that the employment insurance claims of people who received money during their parental leave are caught up in an administrative maze. All these claims are frozen, sometimes for months, because of a lack of clear policy. That's what Service Canada agents are telling claimants. They are telling them to call their members of Parliament. We feel it's unacceptable.

Are you working with the department responsible to get clear instructions for unblocking claims so that people can receive assistance?

[Cliff C. Groen]

Thank you very much for your question.

Priority processing of all claims is very important to us. That's why we introduced measures to ensure the transition from CERB to EI. We took action to ensure that processing was done in a short period of time.

As a result, we have a number of services paid within 28 days of the application date. Under normal circumstances, we achieve this goal 80% of the time. Since the transition to EI, we have been reaching that goal 95% of the time. That's a significant improvement.

[Louise Chabot, Bloc, Thérèse-De Blainville, QC]

Why are claims being blocked, especially for those who have received Quebec parental insurance plan or maternity benefits?

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

You don't have much time left, Ms. Chabot.

I will allow a brief answer.

[Cliff C. Groen]

We're aware that delays have occurred with some benefit claims, particularly for parental and maternity leave.

This is due to the difference between the maternity leave program and eligibility for certain items. Over the past few weeks, we have issued new instructions to our agents. We are processing all applications that have experienced these delays on a priority basis.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Thank you, Mr. Groen.

We have Ms. Gazan, please, for two and half minutes.

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Thank you so much, Chair.

My question actually is for Madam Bowers.

In the last meeting where the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development appeared, not this meeting but the one prior, I actually broke down some of the dollar amounts for the distinctions-based indigenous housing strategy.

Would your department be able to provide this committee with the dollar amount per capita that each of the distinctions-based indigenous housing strategies provide each year?

[Romy Bowers]

We'll take that question away and will provide that information to you.

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Okay. Thank you.

I also asked department officials during the last meeting how many low-barrier, 24-7 safe spaces have been newly funded since the report was released on murdered and missing indigenous women, girls and two-spirits a year and a half ago. We know that call to justice 4.7 calls on the government to fund such spaces as life-saving measures.

Is your department able to provide that number?

[Romy Bowers]

Yes, we are able to provide that number to you.

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Okay.

Don't you have that number available here today?

[Romy Bowers]

In response to the report on murdered and missing indigenous women, there was a funding announcement made in May 2020. The funding was for $44.8 million over five years to construct 10 new shelters, on reserve, across the country. This would be under the CMHC's shelter enhancement program.

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

I'm speaking not just about a shelter, sorry. It's a 24-7, low-barrier safe space, which is different from shelters, solely for women who are experiencing domestic violence, for example. I'm wondering about that number.

[Romy Bowers]

Unfortunately, I don't have that level of specificity, so again, unfortunately, I have to take that question back and we'll provide that information to you.

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Yes, I asked that—

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Thank you, Ms. Bowers.

Thank you, Ms. Gazan.