Debates of May 15th, 2023

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation—Main Estimates, 2023-24

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Because nothing you are doing is working right now, minister, and the answer is 58%. That is almost 60%—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

I ask the member to address the questions through the Chair.

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Madam Chair, does the minister know the point in time count of 59 communities how many people are experiencing absolute homelessness? That is 59 communities that were surveyed?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Madam Chair, this is pretty rich. On the point in time counts she is referring to, she voted against investments to increase point in time counts and coordinated access across this country. She voted against expanding more help for vulnerable people experiencing homelessness. It is very—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member.

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Madam Chair, they still won the vote and it is still not working, and the answer is 32,000 people.

How have numbers of people living in an unsheltered location changed since 2018?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Madam Chair, she should start her advocacy within her own caucus, because this is the first time I am hearing them raise issues about homelessness. It is the first time in seven years.

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Madam Chair, the answer is that compared to 2018, those counted in an unsheltered location increased 100%. It has doubled.

Since 2018, how much has chronic homelessness increased in Canada?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Madam Chair, I want to congratulate the party opposite for finally coming around to talking about homelessness. For seven years, I have never seen its members make a statement, ask a question or intervene positively to help people experiencing homelessness.

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Madam Chair, the answer is 60%. With all due respect, I have talked about tent cities and homelessness since the day I was elected in this House, so I can say with certainty that mental health and tent cities have increased under this minister.

I have one final question. What is the average age when people experience homelessness for the very first time?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Madam Chair, the member made an S.O. 31, but when it came time to actually doubling investments to help people experiencing homelessness, including in Peterborough, she voted against it. It is pretty rich and hypocritical for her to talk about homelessness now and pretend they are the ones with a plan.

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Madam Chair, what was the average number of housing starts under the Harper Conservative government?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion]

Madam Chair, I know the answer. The party opposite spent a meagre $250 million on housing—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member for South Shore—St. Margarets.

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Madam Chair, the minister did not know the answer. It is 200,000.

What is the average number of housing starts of the Liberals from 2016 until now?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Madam Chair, does the hon. member believe that every Canadian has the right to housing? None of the Conservatives have said that Canadians have a right to housing.

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Madam Chair, once again, the minister does not know his portfolio. It is 221,000 since he has been in government. The government spent $82 billion for 21,000 more homes than under the Harper government.

Is $82 billion for 21,000 homes a good price?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Madam Chair, 82,000 homes is not accurate. I have told this House that our national housing strategy has resulted in half a million homes repaired or built in this country.

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Madam Chair, the minister is having trouble hearing now. I said $82 billion was the cost.

How many houses need to be built in Canada to restore housing affordability?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Madam Chair, the Conservatives do not believe in Canadians' right to housing. They believe the federal government should cut investments in housing, yet they want more housing supply.

How does that make sense?

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Madam Chair, the minister should take the time to talk to the president of the CMHC, because the CMHC says 3.5 million houses need to be built by 2030. At the rate the current government is going, we will not have that level of new houses until 2040.

What should people do between 2023 and 2040 on affordability?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Madam Chair, the hon. member knows that although the federal government has a key leadership role to play in housing, we are not the only players in this space. There are provinces and territories. There are municipal partners. We all have to work together to build more supply of housing in this country. That is exactly what we are doing.

What did the Conservatives do? They voted against those measures.

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Madam Chair, the minister tries to claim things when they are in his benefit, but when they are against him, he blames other levels of government. The Auditor General says the minister does not actually track the percentages. The Liberal national housing strategy from 2016 until now targets 66% as the percentage of homelessness that should be reduced.

How much has homelessness been reduced since 2016?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Madam Chair, I have never heard members from the party opposite bring homelessness up in question period. This is the first time they have done that. I want to congratulate them for finally coming around to prioritizing homelessness. Unfortunately, when it came time to actually do something about it, they voted against doubling investments to help people experiencing homelessness.

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Madam Chair, I gave the minister advance notice of what the answer is because I read it before the question. The Auditor General says his department does not even track it, even though it is a target. I am sure he can answer the following question. The target for his national strategy that he brags about says that the usage of homeless shelters needs to go down by 15% during his strategy.

Has that occurred by now?