Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
First of all, I would like to thank the witnesses for joining us today. I would also like to thank you for all the work you do on the ground. I know that you work with communities and women who are in very vulnerable circumstances. You do difficult and important work. Thank you so much.
Before I ask my question, let me provide a little context. I'll try to keep it brief.
We know that the housing crisis is a major contributing factor to the difficulties faced by women experiencing violence. That is why our government is committed to increasing the supply of affordable housing across the spectrum, whether we're talking about transitional housing, very affordable housing, or social housing.
I believe all three witnesses highlighted the fact that there is simply not enough affordable housing in Canada. It accounts for 4% of all housing, one of the lowest rates among OECD member countries. We are committed to doubling that rate to at least 8% over the next decade. We created Build Canada Homes to launch more projects, and we have allocated $13 billion to it, including $1 billion for transitional housing and supportive housing. However, we know this is not enough. The portal opened in December, and we could already spend all those funds. We know this isn't enough to meet the demand.
In addition, $4 billion in funding, managed by Indigenous Services Canada, is earmarked to support indigenous housing in urban, rural and northern communities. That's not all—as part of Build Canada Homes, we've also made commitments to indigenous communities. Furthermore, I want to emphasize that at least 20% of the funding will be allocated to support housing in rural and remote communities, as we want to ensure they receive what they need.
All of this is part of the renewal of the National Housing Strategy—which is why today's discussion is so important. The witnesses' recommendations will inform this discussion.
My first question is for Ms. McGregor Pitawanakwat.
Do think that this is going in the right direction? We understand that this is not enough, and we understand that this has to be combined with some work in prevention, but do you welcome those investments from the government?