Mr. Speaker, our country is suffering from a lack of housing, and rural communities, likes ours in Essex, are paying the price of extreme inaction by governments to address this basic human right. Safe and affordable housing is one of the most important factors affecting our health and well-being.
I want to share the words of Joyce Zuk, executive director of Family Services Windsor-Essex. She said that the homelessness crisis that we see across Essex County should surprise no one, since it has been more than 20 years since we have had an investment in affordable housing. It will take years for our community to catch up and build enough affordable housing units. In the meantime, we need to also focus on those whose housing is precarious, those who are one paycheque away from losing their housing or who are living in housing that is consuming more than 30% of their income.
This is a call to action.
Shamefully, the Liberals' housing strategy is asking people to just wait and see until after the next election.
A right to housing goes beyond a roof over our heads. For people in Essex, we cannot wait. We need action now.