Evidence of meeting #3 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was million.
A video is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Jamie Schmale Conservative Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON
Government-controlled doesn't necessarily equal quality, nor cost, nor outcomes. If you think child care is expensive now, wait until the government gets its hands on it.
Liberal
Ahmed Hussen Liberal York South—Weston, ON
I think the parents who benefit from the more affordable child care system in Quebec would disagree with you a lot on that.
We have to learn about what works. Why is it that other countries can do this and we are not able to do it?
Conservative
Jamie Schmale Conservative Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON
You allow competition in the marketplace; that's how you do it.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sean Casey
Thank you, Minister. Thank you, Mr. Schmale.
For the final four minutes, we have Mr. Vaughan, please.
Liberal
Adam Vaughan Liberal Spadina—Fort York, ON
Thank you.
I guess I have a couple of things.
On page 19 of the throne speech, and I can read it directly, it says we're going to build strong communities by investing.... I'll knock out the whole list of “public transit, energy efficient retrofits”, etc., and then it explicitly says “affordable housing, particularly for Indigenous Peoples and northern communities.”
Is that not the language that member Kwan was looking for in terms of commitment in the throne speech to build indigenous housing in urban, rural and northern spaces?
Liberal
Ahmed Hussen Liberal York South—Weston, ON
Yes, it is, and it shows that it is a priority for our government. That statement of intent and ambition is a clear sign that our government wants to put in place a national strategy for northern, urban and remote indigenous housing and to make sure that we address this.
Liberal
Adam Vaughan Liberal Spadina—Fort York, ON
In terms of the lapsed housing agreements that she refers to, which disappeared under the Conservative government prior to our being elected, the new Canada housing benefit funds that have been transferred, particularly to the Province of British Columbia, can be used to provide subsidies.
Has the British Columbia government used those monies yet?
Liberal
Ahmed Hussen Liberal York South—Weston, ON
Absolutely.
In fact, I had run out of time earlier; I was going to mention that the Canada housing benefit is a game-changer. It is portable, and it can absolutely be used by individuals who find themselves in housing need and who previously enjoyed those subsidies under the agreements that were cancelled by the previous government.
Liberal
Adam Vaughan Liberal Spadina—Fort York, ON
We have a 10-year agreement with the British Columbia government. Have they started to spend those housing subsidies yet?
Liberal
Adam Vaughan Liberal Spadina—Fort York, ON
Good.
In terms of the concerns about rural homelessness, for the first time since 1989, our government, during the COVID epidemic, expanded the designated communities program and picked up six new rural communities. Were any of those in B.C.?
Liberal
Ahmed Hussen Liberal York South—Weston, ON
Absolutely. Abbotsford was one of them, and a number of other British Columbia communities. That's what I was referring to in my previous answer when I ran out of time.
We expanded the communities because we know that homelessness is also a reality in rural Canada, in places that are growing, like Abbotsford and Kamloops, and places like Kenora. Those communities are now included in a much-expanded list, with additional dollars that we've made flexible so that communities can respond in a very robust, long-term way.
Now, with the rapid housing initiative, we will ensure that a billion dollars can be accessed by communities that have rapid housing solutions.
Liberal
Adam Vaughan Liberal Spadina—Fort York, ON
Mr. Vis also identified Alberta as a place where no co-investment funds have been announced. I was sent by you to Calgary on January 15, and I announced a $48.5-million block investment into the Calgary housing system to build new housing. Also, we forwarded seed dollars to help bring forward applications to that co-investment fund.
Calgary actually got block funding of $48.5 million, did they not?
Liberal
Ahmed Hussen Liberal York South—Weston, ON
Yes, they did. Not only that, but there are many other projects that we have been able to announce in Alberta, even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sean Casey
Thank you, Mr. Vaughan.
Thank you, Minister, and thank you to your team for being with us.
Mr. Kent, we were able to get the House of Commons folks to shorten up their time and to push back a bit so that we could get the full two hours. I want to offer a big thank you to our clerk and to the House of Commons folks who support us and who allowed us to push the envelope a little bit.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sean Casey
The envelope, however, is at its limit. That's all the time we have.
Thank you, colleagues. We'll see you next week.
We are adjourned.
