Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to respond to the member for Hochelaga and I share her concern for low-income households.
One of the most important roles of government is to support vulnerable Canadians, including those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. We are committed to strengthening the middle class and lifting more Canadians out of poverty so they are able to join the middle class. No Canadian should have to go without a safe place to live and a safe place to raise their family.
Our government is committed to making it easier for Canadians to find an affordable place to call home. We will re-establish the federal government's role in supporting affordable housing. A key component of this government's strategy is a 10-year investment in social infrastructure for affordable housing and seniors housing.
We pledged during the election campaign to play a leadership role in supporting affordable housing. We will fulfill that commitment by working with all levels of government and housing stakeholders to develop a strategy that addresses an array of housing challenges.
We need to explore a range of targeted solutions rather than simply doing it the way things have been done for the past 10 years. We know that some housing providers will face financial difficulties when their operating agreements come to an end. As well, much of the existing housing stock requires major capital repairs and modifications.
We need to address these pressing needs in the short term while taking a more collaborative, whole-of-government approach to improving housing outcomes in the longer term. This strategy will include a 10-year investment in social infrastructure with a particular focus on affordable housing, seniors housing, and preserving affordability for low-income households living in social housing.
As called for by the CHF Canada, support will also be provided for the construction of new affordable housing as well as the repair of existing units. However, the strategy will go further than that. It will consider the entire housing continuum from homelessness and shelters to supportive and transitional housing, to social and affordable housing, to market rental and home ownership housing. It will also look at access to financing, repurposing federal lands, and opportunities to improve data collection.
Our goal is to build a stronger affordable housing sector, one that encourages innovation and facilitates access to housing so that Canadians can enjoy a better quality of life and better prospects for the future. I trust that the member for Hochelaga will want to support this good work.
Helping vulnerable Canadians find sound, suitable, and sustainable housing is a priority for our government and we will be announcing concrete measures in the near future.