Evidence of meeting #129 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was industry.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
Thank you, Madame Chabot.
We'll go to Ms. Zarrillo for two minutes to close.
NDP
Bonita Zarrillo NDP Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC
Thank you.
In my last two and a half minutes, I'm going to ask witness Royer a question.
I thank all of the other witness. There has been so much great information today.
You introduced the rapid housing initiative and how desperately municipalities are interested in more of that rapid housing. I think about social housing and the opportunities on the federal land sites. We know we have one in Port Moody—45 Mary Street—which was a post office.
What are the opportunities for modular on these federal lands in regard to partners and opportunities?
Is there anything else you'd like to share with this committee before we close today?
Chief Executive Officer, Massive Canada Building Systems Incorporated
I think that there are many individuals in various levels of government who are taking a look at their own lands and seeing a number of projects. It starts in smaller municipalities. The District of Sechelt is looking at road ends, roads that are unopened that could become a construction site for new housing as well as, on a larger scale, large areas, large parking areas at B.C. Ferries that are being considered for housing and large federal lands that are being considered for housing.
That's most welcomed by the industry because it lowers the cost. If you don't have to pay for the land and then pay for the holding costs of that land for the two or three years it takes to plan a project, that's a huge savings for the construction industry, and that's an opportunity for us to build more public housing and affordable housing.
NDP
Bonita Zarrillo NDP Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC
Thank you so much.
I will ask Mr. Searles if there is anything else he would like to share with this committee before we end today.
President, Lodestar Structures Incorporated
I would just like to encourage everybody.
When Mr. Coteau gave me a call and asked if we would like to speak, I thought it was a great honour. I also thought it was a great burden to share what I feel or my experiences and why our country is under this pressure right now. There are families out there who are doing everything right. They're working. They're taking their kids to day care. They're taking them to gym classes and everything else, and they can't afford a home right now.
I would just like to encourage everybody to find a solution, whatever it is. Get rid of the roadblocks in construction. The private sector is the one that's going to solve this problem. They're the ones, like Condo Core and Lodestar, that are going to invent the products. They're going to build the homes. They're going to build the buildings, but it's up to our leadership, and that's this committee or folks like those on this committee, to clear the way and let us do it.
That would be my final statement.
October 10th, 2024 / 12:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
Thank you.
Thank you to our three witnesses for appearing today.
With that, we'll suspend while we transition to the business portion of this meeting.
Ms. Zarrillo, you will have to log in again.
Again, thank you to all three witnesses for appearing.
We'll suspend for about four minutes.
[Proceedings continue in camera]