Mr. Speaker, my second petition, with 237 signatures, highlights the urgent need to address Canada's housing crisis. Housing is a fundamental human right, yet many are unable to afford a safe place to live.
Since 2018, the number of unsheltered individuals has tripled in areas such as my riding of Hamilton Centre and the Waterloo region, where the petition's sponsor is from. This is driven by large corporate investors in real estate income trusts buying up all the affordable housing and raising rents. The petitioners recognize there have been decades of underinvestments, which has only worsened the shortage of affordable rentals.
The petition calls on the federal government to invest in non-profit housing, regulate REITs and remove their tax exemptions. The government needs to establish national rent control and introduce a homebuyers' bill of rights to make home ownership more accessible.