Mr. Chair, this is an example of what can be done at the local level through investments in the national housing strategy.
We were able to partner with local Legions in a number of communities, including Sault Ste. Marie, and with local indigenous governments and organizations to build deeply affordable housing, housing that not only rejuvenates local Legions, some of whose buildings are falling into disrepair, but also creates more supportive and deeply affordable housing units for veterans and members of the community, including indigenous people right across Ontario.
The national housing strategy programs provide for flexibility and for leveraging local properties, land and buildings to unlock federal housing investments, which are a combination of loans and grants that are very favourable to achieving deeply affordable housing units, while also creating accessible units that are energy efficient and that, in some cases, as in Sault Ste. Marie, extend the lifespan of buildings.
It is an example of what we can do together through local partnerships with the federal government's national housing strategy.