Human Resources Committee on Dec. 8th, 2020

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

We're not dictating anything. What we're doing is being led by the evidence to create high-quality, affordable child care. Parents are not mandated to use it, but I can tell you, many parents are waiting for our government to finally move on this.

The last time we were close to doing this, you joined the New Democratic Party to sink our plan to build a national system of affordable, quality child care. I hope you don't do that again this time.

[Jamie Schmale, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON]

Are you saying that the majority Parliaments in 1993, 1995, 1997, 2000, and a minority in 2004, with the NDP foaming at the mouth for a national day care program, wasn't enough time?

Now we have five years for a new secretariat—

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

We aren't sending cheques to millionaires; I can tell you that.

[Jamie Schmale, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON]

Is that your excuse? Why don't we start enhancing the benefit?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

You sent cheques to millionaires so I don't think you can lecture anybody about choice and about helping parents. You sent child care benefit cheques—

[Jamie Schmale, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON]

Regardless, people had the choice.

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

—to millionaires, and we stopped doing that.

[Jamie Schmale, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON]

Parents had the choice—

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

I'm so proud of the fact that we stopped doing that.

[Jamie Schmale, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON]

—but you're not giving choice—

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

We're not mandating anything.

[Jamie Schmale, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON]

The government is determining what is choice. The vast majority of kids in Canada do not go to government care. They use a parent, grandparent, relative or a neighbourhood service. How are you going to make people pay for it? Then, only if they're rich enough, they go outside the system if they want something different.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Mr. Schmale, we're past time.

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

By closing the—

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Minister, go ahead and give your answer. Mr. Schmale, please don't interrupt him.

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

By closing the gender gap and making sure that more women are able to go into the workforce, we will not only increase our GDP, but we will actually have more government revenues at the provincial, territorial and federal level.

Secondly, we will benefit from kids who have a better start in life. That's the choice we're offering parents. It's not mandatory. It's much better than sending cheques to millionaires, which is what you did when you were in government.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Thank you, Minister. Thank you, Mr. Schmale.

The last round of questions will come from Ms. Young. You have five minutes, please.

[Kate Young, Liberal, London West, ON]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I'd like to say that the honourable colleague across the aisle forgets to realize that a national child care program would put $100 billion into the economy. That's according to the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. That's something I wanted to leave with the member.

Minister Hussen, thank you so much for joining us again tonight. As you know, I represent the riding of London West, and London is one of the 15 major cities that can access the rapid housing initiative of $500 million. We're very happy about that. London has been very hard hit by poverty and homelessness for a variety of reasons, and we know that in order to tackle this problem we need a number of different initiatives. We're working closely with the City of London in an effort to solve this problem, both in the short and the long term.

As of 2016, the number of renters in severe housing need in London was over 7,000, and through this rapid housing initiative, London is to receive $7.5 million. I'd like to talk to you about the number of units that this would potentially build and how we are arriving at that number, and if that number can increase, depending on each city that is earmarked for this money.

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

What the honourable member refers to is the importance of investing rapid housing initiative dollars in places like London, which are facing housing shortages and challenges with respect to homelessness.

London is a major regional hub for a lot of transient folks who come from northern Ontario, as well as from Windsor. We're proud of the fact that we have worked with Mayor Ed Holder, a former Conservative member of Parliament, who is very supportive of the rapid housing initiative because he feels that this is a rapid housing solution to London's homelessness challenge. It will translate to roughly.... To get a picture of what number of units would be produced by that, if it's a 100% federal contribution, that's about $300,000 per unit. Now, if the proponents in London also bring additional dollars, land or other incentives to the table, we could produce even more units in London.

Secondly, the municipality and the non-profits of London, Ontario, can also take advantage of the second envelope within the rapid housing initiative—another $500 million—for any projects that exceed the allocation for London in the first envelope of the municipal stream.

[Kate Young, Liberal, London West, ON]

I wanted to thank you for mentioning the Youth Opportunities Unlimited in London—YOU. They are a great model that you highlighted.

Do you see that as something that could be replicated in other communities across the country?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Absolutely. In fact, I see it frequently, after engaging with the social finance and social purpose sector right across the country, both in urban and rural parts of Canada. I see how incredible they are in terms of tackling local challenges with respect to local community concerns.

The London Ontario Youth Opportunities Unlimited is an example I use frequently to demonstrate an organization that is using a business approach to create sustainable lines of funding to solve a real community challenge, which is a prevalence of homelessness among London and area youth.

They have done that. They have successfully built an affordable housing unit next to their coffee shop. They have accessed national housing strategy dollars to build two additional buildings that are doing more than just providing housing. They are actually training cooks and providing child care, as well as creating a job bank at the first level of those buildings.

It's a great example. I have seen, in fact, many other organizations do the exact same thing across Canada.

[Kate Young, Liberal, London West, ON]

Thank you very much, Minister Hussen.

I hope you will be able to come to London when we open that next phase of YOU.

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

I look forward to that. Thank you so much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Thank you, Ms. Young.

Minister, thank you very much for making yourself available and for dealing with the many questions over the last hour. We're going to continue on now with officials.

Minister, as they say, you are welcome to stay, but you're free to leave. We appreciate your being with us.

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate all the committee members' questions.