Certainly, empowering a federal agency or Crown corporation with a focused mandate to deliver affordable housing has its merits. Already we are encouraged by some of the partnering discussions under way with Build Canada Homes to invest in the delivery of more affordable housing with greater speed and scale.
There are a couple of considerations that I think are important in ensuring that we get the implementation right. Whereas Build Canada Homes has a focus on new builds and the acquisition of affordable homes, it's really important to recognize that other programs are very important to the sustainability and growth of affordable housing in Canada, particularly the non-market housing sector. As we're in this period of transformation and we're seeing the wind-down and closure of national housing strategy programs—because they've committed their budgets much faster because costs have risen—greater clarity is needed for the preservation of existing community housing. Greater clarity is needed for the continuity of seed funding to support feasibility and predevelopment activities that are quite costly and burdensome for proponents. Very importantly, we must continue to ensure the housing security of low-income members living in community housing, whose rental assistance is set to expire in a matter of months.
As Build Canada Homes is focused on new builds and acquisition, it is very critical that the federal government consider and make more clear its direction in these program areas as well.