Status of Women Committee on Sept. 23rd, 2026

[Sandy Torres]

Indeed, there are women who do not leave an abusive relationship, for all sorts of reasons. However, one of those reasons is definitely the lack of affordable housing options that suit their financial capabilities. That's undoubtedly one of the reasons why women remain trapped in an abusive relationship.

In Quebec, there was a count of people experiencing visible homelessness. There are recent figures from 2025-26, but there are also figures from 2022 that are a bit more detailed. There aren't any detailed, more recent figures yet. The more detailed figures from the 2022 count tell us that conflict with a spouse is one of the main causes of housing loss among women. It pushes some women into homelessness.

I don't really have more specific data when it comes to senior women, other than the fact that the studies that have been conducted on homelessness show that the faces of homelessness are becoming much more diverse. There are now more women, more seniors—men and women—and more families as well.

These studies also show that even though more housing is being built and there is more rental housing available—that's still a fact—this housing is still unaffordable and financially inaccessible to people with low incomes. Vacancy rates, which represent the proportion of housing available to rent, are still very low for the cheapest rents. That means a lot is being built, and supply is increasing, but the barrier of unaffordability persists. As a result, women are being trapped in violent situations, and those who decide to leave their homes don't have a decent option for housing.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

I'm going to ask you about that.

You raised the issue of a head count and the trouble getting figures, particularly on women experiencing homelessness. I recently took part in a round table with people who receive services from SOS Dépannage back home in Granby. I was invited to speak with people who come looking for services. Many women explained that, when they finally decided to leave their homes, they were facing homelessness or needed to seek food assistance.

It's very difficult for those reasons. Some women may also try a form of hidden homelessness by staying with friends, for example. Some may even try to find housing in exchange for services. Older women have even indicated that sometimes, in order to have a bed and a place to stay, they had to agree to certain conditions, let's say.

How can the fact that a head count is difficult influence our analysis of real housing needs?

At the same round table, people also told me that the housing units that were being built—there are a lot of them being built in our area—did not meet their financial needs.

Can you answer me in less than 30 seconds?

[Sandy Torres]

The figures we have certainly represent only the tip of the iceberg. It is already very concerning, and it is only a small part of the problem.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dominique Vien]

That was your last word, madam. Thank you.

We will now begin a second round of questions.

Mrs. Roberts, the floor is yours for five minutes.

[Anna Roberts, Conservative, King—Vaughan, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you to all the witnesses. The work you are doing is very much needed and very much appreciated.

I'll address my first question to Ms. Hannaburg.

You spoke about housing. We hear this continuously. I hear it in my riding. I hear it when I speak to survivors of intimate partner violence and survivors of human trafficking. I'm a little confused, so maybe you could help me out here.

This Liberal government promised to build 500,000 homes. They pledged to build them. According to CMHC, the new estimate shows that we need to increase that. It doesn't appear to be happening. The new estimate shows that Canada housing starts need to rise between 417,000 and 469,000 per year to restore affordability to pre-2020 levels by 2036. Instead, housing starts under this government are projected to fall from over 250,000 to as low as 212,000 by 2028. This comes as our population growth is expected to recover across most major cities, increasing demand for housing and the need to build more.

The report shows that high construction costs and difficult financing conditions are making it harder to build new homes. Weak condominium sales continue to discourage new developers from building condominiums. Housing construction has fallen sharply in major cities, such as Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa and Montreal. Compared with last year, the housing supply gap has grown larger in Montreal and Ottawa. It remains the same in Vancouver. This is a report from CMHC.

I heard you speak about women trying to flee, but they're afraid to do so, because there isn't ample shelter or there isn't ample housing. It's affordability, finance and a whole gamut of situations. How can we turn that around quicker? I understand that this government talks about building more homes, but that's not happening. What suggestion do you have to speed up this process?

[Mary Hannaburg]

What I can say is that, basically, we don't see much development in our area. There is a need to bring the services and shelters closer to our community. We're in a rural community. We're in a small community. The thing is that we are one of the communities that have a high incidence of violence. Indigenous women are the population being targeted. If you read the national inquiry report on the missing and murdered, they state that. We're experiencing it at a crisis level. That needs to be addressed.

We need to have these services. We need them yesterday, but they're dragging their feet. You'll see them sending money outside the country. Maybe that's all necessary too, but start here with the first nations and the indigenous population.

[Anna Roberts, Conservative, King—Vaughan, ON]

I don't mean to cut you off, but I do agree with you. Do you know what? When you have a healthy home, the way I was raised by my grandparents, you have to get out there and help someone else. When your home is not healthy, we have to take care of the people we have. I agree with you totally.

My other question is for Monsieur....

Hold on. I can't remember his name. Is it Harris?

[A voice]

Yes.

[Anna Roberts, Conservative, King—Vaughan, ON]

Oh, good. That was a senior moment.

[Voices]

Oh, oh!

[Anna Roberts, Conservative, King—Vaughan, ON]

You explained that you have had the co-operation of this government to build the homes. Can you explain to us how that happens in your area and yet we're ignoring Ms. Hannaburg's area?

[Brian Harris]

I can't speak to the particulars of how funds are allocated across municipalities. I know that through the last program we were involved with, different municipalities received different funding allocations. I'm not aware or familiar with the specifics of how those allocations are made.

[Anna Roberts, Conservative, King—Vaughan, ON]

May I ask what riding you're in or what area you cover?

[Brian Harris]

We're in Spadina—Fort York, in Toronto, Ontario.

[Anna Roberts, Conservative, King—Vaughan, ON]

You're in Toronto. You just answered my question.

I have a last question for you, Ms. Hannaburg. We have an area that's been getting support, yet they're ignoring you. I want to thank you for what you do, because it's difficult. I have interviewed and spoken to numerous survivors across this country. I have also spoken to individuals—

[The Chair, Conservative, Dominique Vien]

Mrs. Roberts, I have to interrupt you.

[Anna Roberts, Conservative, King—Vaughan, ON]

I'm so sorry.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dominique Vien]

You're not as sorry as I am.

Ms. Lambropoulos, you have the floor for five minutes.

[Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Liberal, Saint-Laurent, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you to all of our witnesses who are here on this very important topic today.

My first question is for Ms. Hannaburg.

You referenced the Indian Act and how this is stopping many of the women in your community from being able to access the care they need during episodes of violence. I'm wondering if there is a specific amendment to the Indian Act that you would recommend and that would allow us to move past that or to solve this problem.

[Mary Hannaburg]

Yes, there is, absolutely. Thank you for asking that.

Yes, there is Bill S-2. That is going to be going through its third reading. Our minister, Mandy Gull-Masty, has been dragging her feet on that, I'm sorry to say, and she's misinterpreting what everyone is saying. All the nations across Canada, pretty much, are saying that Bill S-2 needs to be passed immediately.

It's enough.... We've been consulted for over 50 years now. It's enough. We need to have our equality. We need to remove those obstacles so our children and our grandchildren can be treated equally and have access to all the services, whether that be seeking a psychologist, going to a shelter, having financial assistance or education—everything. They are blocked from that. If you do not have your status number, you do not have that.

We are the only race for whom this government dictates who we are as a people. This has to stop. This is genocide, what they're doing to us, and I don't want to get harsh on that, but this is the blockage. We talked about removal of barriers. That is a big one, and that will help women. They can inherit their families' homes. They can have a home; they can build a home, or they can buy a home on the territory. They will be able to live on the territory with their families. They'll be able to be buried in the cemetery with their kin. This is what's happening to us in our communities.

We need to have security in our communities. We have no policing. We are living in a no man's land.

[Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Liberal, Saint-Laurent, QC]

I'm sorry, but I do have another question. Regarding what you've just mentioned, you spoke about having no police and no security. It is a reserve, I would imagine.

[Mary Hannaburg]

Yes, this is federal territory. It's the territory.

[Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Liberal, Saint-Laurent, QC]

If the indigenous community does have the right to self-determination, what role can the federal government play without interfering in that self-determination?

[Mary Hannaburg]

The Canadian Charter of Rights guarantees us the right to live in our communities in safety, just like anyone else, just like any other Canadian here in this room or anywhere. We do not have that luxury. We do not. We have gunshots going off at three o'clock in the morning and automatic weapons when we're sleeping—when our children and my grandchildren are sleeping there. This is what's going on.

It's a self-will run riot community right now, because there is no policing. There are no implemented security checks and balances. The provincial government and the federal government are aware of that. They've been called on that. They've been told. There are no regulations there. We have high-speed traffic running through the territory at all hours of the night. You're lucky if you don't get hit going to the store. We don't let our children on the roads, because there are no sidewalks there. They're riding their bicycles. We have to be very careful.

There are things going on that I will not mention here, but I'm just saying that there is a need for security. The charter guarantees our right to equality. Implement it and pass Bill S-2 with the Senate amendments right now, and stop dragging it. That will remove the obstacles.

[Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Liberal, Saint-Laurent, QC]

Thank you very much.