Thanks, Mr. Chairman.
Minister, welcome today. You continue to do an excellent job, and I think everyone, irrespective of what side of the House they're on, understands that you're very passionate about affordable housing. Thank you for your attendance today to assist.
My questions today are for the CMHC representatives. I should start by saying I have questions that I'm going to submit to the clerk that I'll ask CMHC to answer after our meeting concludes.
I had the opportunity, obviously, as a municipal representative to sit on our municipal housing board for a number of years—13 years—and in the last seven I acted as president of CityHousing Hamilton. My experiences, as an elected official, with CMHC in the application process for a number of different programs that CMHC offered over the years were very frustrating. I made a commitment that if I made my way to Ottawa one day I would raise these issues, so here's my opportunity.
If I could, through you, Mr. Chairman, we in Hamilton had a number of projects on the books where we had the opportunity to apply to the co-investment fund, as well as the innovation fund and a number of other areas—rapid housing, I think. If there's an Academy Award for housing programs, that one takes home all the Oscars, but I have to say some of the other programs were very frustrating.
I've heard the same from not-for-profits here locally in Hamilton. I had the opportunity annually to visit and attend the ONPHA conference, where housing providers from across the province meet and share their experiences. I have to say that in their comments about CMHC, many relayed that they had frustrating experiences.
Today, we're talking about modernizing the application process for municipalities through the accelerator fund. I really think there should be some attention...maybe even taking some of those resources and providing them to CMHC so that they can use those funds to modernize their own application process.
I can say that, from the comments from my municipality, we experienced significant issues with the application process that led to, not just delays but unnecessary costs for us, and that's in stark contrast to the experiences that we've had with FCM and the green municipal fund that was offered to us. It was a very easy, seamless process for our staff and for our council, and the funds flowed much quicker than they did for the co-investment fund.
In dealing with the co-investment fund, we found the vetting process to be...and I think the word our staff used was “excruciating”. We experienced many delays. We were forced to submit, I think, 25 submission packages through the projects that we were dealing with related to the co-investment fund. We had 75 or more distinct documents, so you can imagine, when you're asked for additional information as part of your submission, you have to go back out to an architect, an engineer. You have lawyers who then have to revise all those documents and submit them.
It was a lot of time and lots of extra funds that we essentially didn't have. When you're dealing with not-for-profits, they're in a much different situation, because they don't have the funds and the resources that municipalities have.
I'd like your comment. Through you, Mr. Chairman, to the representatives, do you ever do a satisfaction survey with those that apply for funds through any program through CMHC? I'll start with that.