Evidence of meeting #65 for Public Accounts in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was you're.
A video is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Williamson
Order, gentlemen. Mr. Perkins, this applies to you as well. I appreciate your frustration. I'm going to give the last 15 seconds to Minister Hussen to answer.
I would ask, Minister, that you try to avoid describing the Conservative opposition policy. I recognize that you have points to make on that, but we are here to hear from your department.
Thank you.
Liberal
Ahmed Hussen Liberal York South—Weston, ON
Oh, absolutely, but I'm also trying to answer the question.
Conservative
Liberal
Peter Fragiskatos Liberal London North Centre, ON
It's very simple. Let's just simply allow time for answers. That's all.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Williamson
That's what I'm endeavouring to do, sir, so I appreciate it.
It's over to you, Minister.
Liberal
Ahmed Hussen Liberal York South—Weston, ON
Mr. Chair, I think I can figure out how to answer questions. I appreciate your help, but I don't need it. Thank you very much.
Liberal
Conservative
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Williamson
—because the witness is not exactly responding to the answers.
Taking shots at the chair is not helping your situation.
Liberal
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Williamson
I try to run these meetings fairly, sir. Suggesting that when I give you time and you don't take the time, you don't have the time is, frankly, insulting to this committee.
Mr. Fragiskatos, what is your point of order?
Liberal
Peter Fragiskatos Liberal London North Centre, ON
It's my right to raise a point of order as I wish, Mr. Chair.
Liberal
Peter Fragiskatos Liberal London North Centre, ON
It's simply a call for decorum, and that is in your hands to officiate.
Liberal
Peter Fragiskatos Liberal London North Centre, ON
I think that opposition members in particular today need a reminder on the need for decorum, not just the—
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Williamson
I agree with you, and I would say that the same is true of the minister.
You have the floor on your side. Who is up next?
Ms. Bradford, you have the floor for five minutes.
Liberal
Valerie Bradford Liberal Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I have some questions for CMHC.
The CMHC reported that as of March 31, 2022, over $9 billion had been committed to the six initiatives examined by the OAG and that some $4.5 billion had been spent, representing about 30% and 15% of planned expenditures, respectively.
Why is the actual spending such a small share of the planned spending, and how do you plan to correct that?
Senior Vice-President, Policy, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Thank you, Mr. Chair, for the question.
What we report in our “A place to call home” report is the amount that has been spent to date. The way we are reporting or accounting for these expenditures follows international accounting standards, which state that we need to recognize when the building has been completed and finished, and as we progress and advance the funds.
In multi-unit residential, even shelters, it takes five to eight years to complete a project. As you can see, we are five years into the national housing strategy. What you see on record is what has been spent, given the level of completion of projects.
Liberal
Valerie Bradford Liberal Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON
Thank you for that.
Exhibit 5.4 of the report shows that chronic homelessness was 11.3% higher in 2019-20 than the 2016 baseline, while the target is a 31% decrease by 2023-24 and a 50% decrease by 2027-28.
To have a chance of achieving this goal, chronic homelessness would need to fall by 38% between 2020 and 2024 and by 55% between 2020 and 2028. How does CMHC plan to reverse the trend and achieve these targets?
Deputy Minister, Office of Infrastructure of Canada
Thank you very much for the question.
When we look at the targets for homelessness, one main factor is working with our community entities across the country. We have 60 community entities, plus a number of community entities in Quebec, and we are working with the territories. They are implementing something we call “coordinated access”, which is a transformational change in the way they serve the homeless people in their communities. It is about no wrong door and for them to make a difference. We've seen, for example, in Dufferin, a 50% reduction since they've put coordinated access in place. It is about coming together as a community and aligning programs and services to be able to serve that homeless-serving sector, which wasn't happening before.
When this particular audit began, this program was in the initial creation of the transformation within the homeless-serving sector and communities across the country. Then COVID hit, so that was a drastic change for them to saving lives and protecting people. Now communities are coming back to being able to implement coordinated access.
You'll see in the report that at the time we had only nine communities that had coordinated access. Now we have 43 communities. The last 17 are on track and we're working with them, as well as the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness, to have them be able to implement coordinated access. We know, as we look at international best practices, that this is a best practice that makes a difference in communities.