We have an opportunity here, colleagues, at this committee—which is effectively the housing committee of the House of Commons—to look at issues and at all opportunities in a very serious way and not politicize issues that should never be politicized. Housing is absolutely one of them.

5:45 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

Peter Fragiskatos Liberal London North Centre, ON

You can laugh at it, but it's a fact.

Our constituents have one thing in common, I guarantee you, whether you're from a rural area or an urban area. It is that they want an actual approach that allows for co-operation at all levels, between levels of government and also between MPs.

I could go down a path where I tell you—and I'm talking to Conservative friends now—that the opposition leader's so-called housing plan didn't mention homelessness and said nothing about getting seniors housed or students housed. I could do that, but I'm not going to dwell on those things.

Six affordable units of housing—that's the number—is the Conservative record.

I want to actually, in committee today, take time to be deliberate and meaningful with the questions that I ask.

Mr. Gordon, you said that just over $281 million had been allocated to NICHI.

5:45 p.m.

Chief Executive Officer, National Indigenous Collaborative Housing Incorporated

John Gordon

That's correct.

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

Peter Fragiskatos Liberal London North Centre, ON

You listed some examples of how that funding has been used. It sounds very good and very promising.

Could you go into that a little more?

5:45 p.m.

Chief Executive Officer, National Indigenous Collaborative Housing Incorporated

John Gordon

I think the thing worthy of mentioning is that your colleague Blake Desjarlais mentioned the unmet need, the need in urban indigenous communities.

Concerning the proposal call, when NICHI received the $281.5 million, we received 447 proposals valued at $2.2 billion. We had $281 million. Those are projects from coast to coast to coast.

We funded 65 projects that our project selection advisory council had selected for us to fund. We've entered into a contribution agreement with 61 of those proponents now. We have four contribution agreements that are left to go. We have committed a little over $200 million in a short period of time.

I think that would speak to some of the challenges that your colleagues were asking about with regard to dealing with CMHC and other bureaucracies. I think we dealt with it much more quickly because we were able to.

I want to go back to the $2.2 billion in need, and we got $281 million. That's funding a number of projects. That's everything from mental health projects, where we have mental health people coming out of mental health services and being funded, to youth housing for at-risk youth.

Not only did we fund those types of roofs over heads in the shelter, but we also funded some projects. The project selection advisory council selected projects where we engage with youth about future housing needs and preparing themselves for housing in the future, so that they're not growing into a position where they don't have housing and, all of a sudden, it's a surprise to them. We need to start to educate some people about housing earlier.

We're doing those kinds of things and funding those types of projects. The need is tremendous, and we're trying everything we can do to meet it.

5:50 p.m.

Liberal

Peter Fragiskatos Liberal London North Centre, ON

Thank you very much, Mr. Gordon.

Mr. Sullivan, it's good to see you again.

I noted that, in your presentation—no surprise—you made a comment about co-op housing and the place that it can have in this conversation about addressing the housing crisis.

Both to you and to Professor Whitzman, we've heard disparaging comments from some. The Leader of the Opposition talked about Soviet-style housing, and that's co-op housing. That's what he means by that. What is the place and future of co-op housing in this conversation? Can there be one means, one method, one answer to the housing crisis?

I have about a minute left, but I'll go first to Mr. Sullivan and then to Professor Whitzman.

5:50 p.m.

Executive Director, Canadian Housing and Renewal Association

Raymond Sullivan

There are a lot of things that have gone wrong in this housing challenge, so there are a lot of solutions that we need to apply and, absolutely, co-op housing is one of those solutions. It's a form of mixed-income, community-driven housing that has been very successful. We and many others are looking forward to the rollout of a co-op housing development program from the federal government soon.

5:50 p.m.

Housing Policy Researcher and Adjunct Professor, University of Ottawa, As an Individual

Dr. Carolyn Whitzman

A recent study on co-operative housing found that rents for equivalent-sized homes in equivalent neighbourhoods were 20% lower after 20 years in co-op housing and about a third lower after 30 years. I think the same would be true of any form of non-market housing simply because the rents are based on cost and not on profit.

Since the passing of the Dominion Housing Act in 1935, it's been recognized that low-income people's needs will not be adequately met by the private market and that we need 20% of housing to be non-market in order to meet the needs of low- and moderate-income people, particularly in cities.

5:50 p.m.

Liberal

Peter Fragiskatos Liberal London North Centre, ON

Thank you.

5:50 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

Thank you, Mr. Fragiskatos.

That concludes the meeting.

5:50 p.m.

Conservative

Tracy Gray Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

I have two quick things.

First of all, I just wanted to comment that there's remote translation, and again, we have this echoing. The last meeting didn't have that, and the last meeting was really great. We had a number of members having to take their earpieces on and off in this meeting.

I just want to note again that any time we have translators not here physically in the room, it does not function as well as it could.

The second thing I wanted to mention is that Mr. Fragiskatos was referring to this study not being political. In fact, it was the Liberals who added an amendment to this particular study to reference specifically the time of the past Conservative government, so, in fact, they did politicize it.

I just wanted to say that for the record. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

5:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

Thank you.

We are pressing the time.

Mr. Van Bynen, you have a point of order.

5:55 p.m.

Liberal

Tony Van Bynen Liberal Newmarket—Aurora, ON

Ms. Whitzman didn't get an opportunity to finish her speech. I wouldn't want to miss any of the balance of the speech, so I'm wondering if she could submit the balance of her speech.

5:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

Yes. Thank you, Mr. Van Bynen.

Witnesses, if you want to provide us with written commentary that you didn't cover today, please address it to the clerk.

Thank you, Mr. Van Bynen.

With that, is it the will of the committee to adjourn?

5:55 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

5:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

The meeting is adjourned.