House of Commons Hansard #87 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was affordable.
This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
Fisheries Act Second reading of Bill C-237. The bill C-237 seeks to amend the Fisheries Act to harmonize recreational groundfish fishing rules across Atlantic Canada, aiming to extend access for Newfoundland and Labrador fishers. Proponents emphasize fairness and economic benefits. However, critics raise concerns about the lack of consultation, the bill's scientific basis, and potential negative impacts on regional stock management and commercial fisheries. 8800 words, 1 hour.
Build Canada Homes Act Second reading of Bill C-20. The bill establishes Build Canada Homes as a Crown corporation to increase Canada's supply of affordable housing and modernize the homebuilding sector. Proponents argue it provides essential tools to accelerate construction and foster partnerships. Critics, primarily Conservatives, contend it would add another arm to the federal government, duplicating existing efforts, and lacks clear targets. The Bloc Québécois supports federal investment but raises concerns about federal interference in Quebec's jurisdictions and the bill's lack of guarantees for social housing. The NDP notes no specific allocation for rent-geared-to-income housing. 42600 words, 5 hours in 2 segments: 1 2.
Similarities Between Bill C-2 and Bill C-12 Members debate a point of order regarding Bills C-2 and C-12, discussing whether they are "substantially similar" under parliamentary rules, which would prevent Bill C-2 from proceeding after Bill C-12 passed. 1100 words, 10 minutes.
Bienvenu-Olivier Ntumba Liberal Mont-Saint-Bruno—L’Acadie, QC
Mr. Speaker, we will take no advice from the Conservatives. Their leader built only six homes when he was in charge of this file. We have built homes for Canadians. What does my colleague have to say about that?
Tako Van Popta Conservative Langley Township—Fraser Heights, BC
Mr. Speaker, the question just underlines what I was saying: Governments do not build homes. People build homes. Home builders build homes. Electricians, drywallers, carpenters and land developers are the ones who build homes. The government just needs to get out of the way and create the environment that welcomes investment so people will actually build homes and so the market meets the demand.
Alexis Deschênes Bloc Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech. I think that we share his concerns about the centralist nature of the bill. Let us not forget that the Liberal government's last good idea on housing was the Canada housing infrastructure fund, which was announced in April 2024. It took almost two years before an agreement was finally reached with Quebec for the money to come through.
I would like my colleague's thoughts on a concern of mine. I come from a rural area. There are small villages where I live, and there is a significant need for housing. However, these projects often involve 12 or 24 housing units, while the federal government usually focuses on large projects in cities. Does my colleague share my concern that rural areas are once again being forgotten?
Tako Van Popta Conservative Langley Township—Fraser Heights, BC
Mr. Speaker, the question from my colleague from the Bloc Québécois was a thoughtful one. I live in a community that is highly urbanized, but parts of it are still rural, so I sympathize with the question.
I will revert back to what I had said earlier, which is that the market generally sorts things out. If there is a demand in smaller communities, it will be filled if the government gets out of the way.
Is there a role for government? Provincial and federal governments own a lot of land. Maybe they should put that out into the marketplace. I know there are areas in British Columbia that would benefit greatly from the release of federal lands from federal control. Put it into private enterprise and let us build.
Roman Baber Conservative York Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member's speech was thoughtful. I certainly agree on the fact that choices and the free economy, not government, are what builds homes.
However, what I do not really understand about the bill is why we need a fourth bureaucracy. We already have the ministry of housing, which can do what the new agency would seek to do. We have CMHC. We have the Canada Lands Company, headquartered in the great riding of York Centre. Therefore, I do not understand, but perhaps the hon. member has an idea, why the Liberals require yet a fourth bureaucracy to do what any of the three previous bureaucracies can do.
Tako Van Popta Conservative Langley Township—Fraser Heights, BC
Mr. Speaker, that is an important question, but I am really the wrong person to be asking it to. Trying to get into the minds of the Liberals is hard to do, but what I have observed time and again is that the Liberal politics of the Liberal Party of the 2020s is all performative politics. It just wants it to seem that it is doing something. If there is a problem, it has a solution: another organization, photo op or ribbon cutting, and the problem is solved. That is its problem.
Kevin Lamoureux LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, I am very interested in whether the Conservatives are taking the position that they are going to oppose the legislation. They do not support Bill C-20. Having said that, will they recognize, at the very least, that we should allow it to go to committee, or does the member believe they are going to continue to filibuster the legislation too?
Tako Van Popta Conservative Langley Township—Fraser Heights, BC
Mr. Speaker, it is interesting that every time the member for Winnipeg North stands up, he is accusing us of filibustering. This is an important topic. It is very important for Canadians, certainly in my home province of British Columbia, where housing affordability really is a crisis for young people. These are important issues. We need to be debating them in the House of Commons, and that is exactly what we are doing.
Arielle Kayabaga Liberal London West, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to rise today to speak to the Build Canada Homes act, the legislation that would address one of the most urgent and deeply felt challenges facing Canadians, particularly young Canadians: housing. I would like to address the impact the legislation would have on Canada Lands Company Limited.
As we know, Canada is in a housing crisis. The cost of housing is up, supply is not keeping pace with demand, and productivity in the construction sector is low. We need to build more homes, and we need to build them fast. This is exactly what we ran on in April 2025. It is what Canadians wanted us to do.
Consistently for the last couple of years, we have heard from Canadians that they need more homes. The dream of being a homeowner for young Canadians has not died; it is still alive and well. It is the onus of every single level of government to make sure we can meet that dream.
The legislation would define the mandate, governance structure, powers and funding of Build Canada Homes. It would also provide the transitional provisions necessary to move it from an existing special operating agency to a Crown corporation. I want to clarify that this is something we ran on, and Canadians, on April 28, 2025, gave this side of the House the mandate to meet their most important and most dire needs across the country.
We are not doing something that we were hiding from Canadians; we have talked about it. We talked about Build Canada Homes, and now we finally see the life of Build Canada Homes as a Crown corporation. Once Build Canada Homes becomes a Crown corporation, it would also have access to a broader set of authorities and to greater operational flexibility. This would also allow it to move faster and more effectively in delivering housing at scale.
Housing insecurity is rarely a stand-alone issue. We know that for many Canadians, it intersects with mental health, health care access, income stability and community supports. This is the reality that underscores the importance of wraparound services, an approach that recognizes that stable housing and personal well-being are deeply interconnected.
The Build Canada Homes act would allow us to think about housing in a more holistic way. Yes, Canada must build more homes, must accelerate approvals and remove barriers, and it must also ensure that housing systems promote long-term stability, particularly with people who have complex needs.
If I may, let me reflect briefly on the experiences of London, Ontario, which offers a compelling example of how federal partnerships and wraparound thinking can produce meaningful outcomes. London has been a national leader in leveraging federal housing dollars and investments, thanks to the many partners in the sector, along with the leadership of the City of London and the many builders across the city who have come together and are responding to the need for housing for every single person in our community.
We are, one day at a time, curving homelessness across the city of London. Our community has received among the highest levels of housing funding in the country, reflecting both scale of local need and the city's readiness to respond to that need. London was the first municipality to secure the housing accelerator fund, and through demonstrated performance and ambition, it has received additional funding to further accelerate progress.
These investments have translated into tangible results. London has significantly expanded its housing supply, including a substantial increase in supportive housing projects that combine stable accommodation with integrated health and social services that continue to address homelessness and housing vulnerability in a durable and more sustainable way because it is done at a community level.
I would like to share a story. This past week in my riding, I visited an Indwell housing project, a partnership with many partners in the city of London, including the City of London, where residents celebrated Black History Month with the support of staff.
I was invited as the speaker by one of the residents who has been there for, I think, about a year, named Este. I saw the joy it brought her to invite me to speak at this Black History Month event. I enjoyed having a conversation with her and getting to know a little about her story, where she started, where she is at today and how far she has come, as well as about the dignity with which Indwell treats its residents.
This is a project we funded. I was there for the groundbreaking. I was there for the opening. I was there when the first person moved in, and I returned to have a conversation with a resident who was excited to celebrate Black History Month. It really brought warmth to my heart to see that behind all the jargon that politicians use, behind all the numbers we talk about and behind the dollars, there are real people.
I was talking about wraparound services and what Build Canada Homes would do to provide more of these opportunities. The minister shared a story earlier about the Dunn project, which is in Toronto, and I am sharing the story about Thompson Road and many others in the city of London, where we see partners come together and get federal dollars to provide units for people who need them the most, the most vulnerable people in our community.
I had an opportunity to chat with a couple of residents there, but more importantly with Ese, who invited me to be the keynote speaker, engaging on Black History Month. The joy she had and the life in the room really brought life to me as well. I was actually not feeling well that day, but it brought so much light and joy to see that, to see the advocacy that went into it, all the partners that went into it and all the hard work of people who want to see the most vulnerable people in our community housed. That is exactly her success and what Ese embodies. As the staff on site said, she has come so far from where she was to where she is now. I am so glad to see that there are tangible people behind these dollars.
The work that Build Canada Homes wants to do and will continue to build on is like the project on Thompson Road. This progress matters, not only for those directly served, but for the broader housing ecosystem. Expanding supply across the housing continuum, including supportive and affordable housing, has a system-wide effect. We already know that when more housing units come online, pressure on rental markets begin to ease. When rental pressures ease, affordability improves across the board. The hope is that Build Canada Homes will do that, so we can see a spike in home builds across the city and across Canada.
The reality is that young Canadians, as I said earlier, desire to own a home, and that desire has not wavered, which is why we are going to continue to do everything in our power. We are going to work with the provinces, we are going to work with municipalities, we are going to work with everyone to make sure we can provide homes for Canadians across the board.
Being able to afford a home is a human right; it is not a luxury. It is what all Canadians need and deserve, and that is what we are going to continue to do. For young families, for first-time homebuyers, for those seeking to put down roots, housing supply becomes the difference between aspiration and reality. Every home built expands the possibility.
Strategic federal investments paired with local leadership and wraparound approaches produce compounding benefits. They will address immediate needs while strengthening long-term market stability. They support the most vulnerable population while improving affordability dynamics for the broader community.
The global economy has recently undergone a shift that has profoundly transformed the traditional world order. Canada can no longer count on its most important trading relationship. Because of that, we are building our capacity here at home. We are going to build stronger relationships across all levels of government, including municipal, provincial and territorial governments and with our indigenous partners. We are making strategic investments to build a stronger, more sustainable and more resilient economy. We are working to cut red tape, eliminate internal trade barriers and sign new agreements that will stimulate the local economy. As a Crown corporation, Build Canada Homes will be funded by the initial $13‑billion envelope announced in budget 2025.
The Build Canada Homes act proposes to establish Build Canada Homes as a Crown corporation. The legislation would provide the transitional provisions necessary to move from the existing special operating agency to a Crown corporation. This will allow it to move faster and more efficiently in providing and delivering housing across the board, whether it be in the province of Ontario or across Canada.
We would also streamline and strengthen federal efforts and help scale up the supply of affordable housing across the country. The transfer of key elements from Canada Lands Company Limited to Build Canada Homes is an important step in developing and building housing on public lands.
This means Build Canada Homes would be equipped with the tools and the authorities to take a leading role in the planning, development and construction of housing on public lands. This would also include the land holdings of Canada Lands Company Limited. It would position Build Canada Homes to streamline construction on public lands.
Budget 2025 already announced an initial investment of $13 billion over five years. Of this amount, there is a capital contribution of $1.5 billion to Canada Lands Company Limited. This funding will support the direct construction of up to 4,000 new homes that will remain publicly owned over the long term. This marks a strategic shift in how public lands and development expertise are mobilized to accelerate the supply of affordable housing across the country.
Build Canada Homes will develop parcels at six Canada Lands Company Limited sites in Dartmouth, Longueuil, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg and Edmonton. A direct build approach will be used for the construction of these affordable, mixed-income communities. This is one example of how Build Canada Homes will work to improve the availability of affordable housing for those who have been priced out of the market.
Build Canada Homes will also look for ways to maximize affordability as much as possible. We will leverage a mixed-market approach. Build Canada Homes will also help unlock new sources of private capital and create more housing supply across the board. It will ensure that housing remains financially viable and affordable for the long term. The homes will enable long-term affordability through continued public ownership, and the newbuilds will leverage modern methods of construction. This includes prefabrication, modular building and mass timber to speed up construction and take advantage of Canadian technology and materials.
Earlier, the minister also talked about how construction will go on all year long. Last year, during the summer, my colleagues and I had our caucus retreat in Edmonton. We were able to visit many start-ups that are doing modular work using AI. They are working with people who are in the sector, in apprenticeships, and they are using AI as a tool that can also build homes in a very fast way.
We are doing work around removing barriers across Canada. If we think about a modular home that has to move from one area to another, maybe more start-ups will be interested in modular work. Also, with the barriers that we are removing, there is the possibility of much money to be made across the board and much expertise to be shared among the different provinces.
I also had a chance to visit one of these companies in my backyard of southwestern Ontario, near Windsor. I saw how the technology is already there, and it is prepared. As the minister said, we want to build all year long. This is some of the technology and innovation that we could be using to make sure that Canadians are still employed and are able to build homes and get the homes they need, at scale and fast.
The Build Canada Homes act would be a major milestone in the government's plan to build more homes in a fast way and to help ensure that every Canadian can have a place to call home that they can afford. Build Canada Homes is becoming a Crown corporation to give it the operational independence, the governance and the flexibility needed to deliver affordable housing while remaining accountable to Parliament.
The legislation would also enable Build Canada Homes to leverage Canada Lands Company Limited's land holdings and development expertise, along with its own flexible financial tools. It would provide a streamlined approach to building on public lands. The Build Canada Homes act and the transfer of the land holdings and development experience from Canada Lands Company Limited to Build Canada Homes would accelerate the delivery of affordable housing across the country, contrary to what many colleagues have been commenting here.
Moving forward with this legislation means that the Government of Canada would be better positioned to use all the tools that it has at its disposal to ensure that Canadians can have the homes they need. The federal government would implement new ideas and take an innovative approach to building housing across the country.
Through this act, the federal government would put public lands to good use by building thousands of new affordable homes. Supportive housing, in particular, reflects this dual benefit. It provides stability and dignity for individuals facing complex challenges, reduces strain on emergency systems, improves community outcomes and contributes to the overall housing supply, which helps moderate market pressures.
The Build Canada Homes act would build precisely on this model of coordinated, enabling leadership. By strengthening financing tools, it would allow more projects to proceed with certainty. Every Canadian deserves a place to call home, and the Build Canada Homes act would help to build a strong Canada. It would do exactly what we promised on the campaign trail in April 2025.
I look forward to taking questions from my colleagues.
Scott Aitchison Conservative Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON
Mr. Speaker, I noted that my hon. colleague mentioned some great things going on in the city of London. It is important for us to congratulate Mayor Morgan and his council for some of the things they have done to get housing built faster in that city. What they have focused on is streamlining the process, speeding up approvals and zoning as of right, so people do not have to go through the rezoning process. Interestingly enough, the Liberals did not need Build Canada Homes to do that. They did it already and are getting the job done.
I am wondering if the member can explain to the House specifically why Build Canada Homes is required and why the things that they wanted to do could not have been done by the Canada Lands Company, which is a federal Crown corporation; the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, which was the first Crown corporation; or maybe even the department. What specifically about the fourth federal housing agency is so crucially important, if London can get it right?
Arielle Kayabaga Liberal London West, ON
Mr. Speaker, first of all, I do not think the member is aware that I sat on council with Mayor Morgan. In 2018, when the City of London, for the first time, had the opportunity to partner with the federal government to work through the national housing strategy, we worked directly with the federal government. As a member of Parliament, I have had the chance to work directly with the municipality of London to ensure that housing can be built fast.
Yes, the City of London has leveraged many federal dollars to be able to provide affordable housing across the board, and it will continue to do so. I do not think the member has had a conversation with Mayor Morgan about this, because he would not have made the same comments he made today.
Scott Aitchison Conservative Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON
I know him very well. I talk to him all the time.
Arielle Kayabaga Liberal London West, ON
Mr. Speaker, the member would not have made the same comments, because the mayor was here last week, talking about the needs in London and the need for us to continue to invest, especially in wraparound services that are needed in our city and that leaders across the board have identified as an issue that they want to work together with all levels of government to address. I am not sure—
The Assistant Deputy Speaker John Nater
Questions and comments, the hon. member for La Pointe-de-l'Île.
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
Mr. Speaker, housing is under Quebec's jurisdiction. Local governments, like the Quebec National Assembly or the municipalities, are in the best position to know the housing needs of their population.
Now, the government is going to create a new, centralizing entity that will complicate new agreements. This was apparent in the last one that we received in January. There were delays of two to three years. In the end, Quebec received less than its share, a situation that was condemned by the municipalities.
Would my colleague be willing to allow at least one exemption for Quebec, to respect its jurisdictions, such as a right to opt out with full compensation?
Arielle Kayabaga Liberal London West, ON
Mr. Speaker, I already answered that question to some extent in my speech. We are drawing on federal leadership to build houses as quickly as possible and remove all these obstacles. I did mention that we are working with municipalities and provinces. No province will be excluded from our discussions or our work.
We campaigned on this issue and Canadians gave us a mandate to implement this program. The program we are implementing will help increase construction, not only across the country, but also in Quebec.
Ginette Petitpas Taylor Liberal Moncton—Dieppe, NB
Mr. Speaker, as with my colleague's riding, Moncton—Dieppe continues to see the issue of housing affordability and availability as a top priority.
I wonder if my hon. colleague could elaborate on the importance of ensuring that the Build Canada Homes program provides very affordable housing for people who are less well off.
Arielle Kayabaga Liberal London West, ON
Mr. Speaker, my colleague's question was well put.
As I said before, with Build Canada Homes, we will be able to build like never before. In his speech earlier, the minister said that we would even be able to build year-round. The only way to do that in a country like Canada, where it is winter half the year, is to innovate and use the tools at our disposal to build homes like never before.
To answer her question, yes, absolutely, I do think it is important. Both of our communities need this housing, as do all communities across Canada. It is important to say that we are going to use all the tools at our disposal, including Canadian innovation.
Kerry Diotte Conservative Edmonton Griesbach, AB
Mr. Speaker, I did a bit of a deep dive on Build Canada Homes. It seems like a noble idea to build homes. The people across the way say they are going to build at a speed that we have never seen before.
Build Canada Homes was launched in September of 2025. Six months later, according to Build Canada Homes, not one home has been completed. Why is that?
Arielle Kayabaga Liberal London West, ON
Mr. Speaker, I do not know if the Conservatives truly believe in building homes for Canadians. One minute they are blaming the Government of Canada for homes that are not being built, and in another minute, they are blaming the Government of Canada for helping Canadians to build homes.
Earlier, we talked about the number of homes that are already on the go. Shovels are in the ground. I am not sure if the member has been able to see how homes are built and what the procedures are. I would invite him to come to my riding to see some of the shovels that are in the ground and how the process goes, to the point where people can actually move in.
Bienvenu-Olivier Ntumba Liberal Mont-Saint-Bruno—L’Acadie, QC
Mr. Speaker, I am so happy to have heard my colleague's speech clearly explaining why she supports Build Canada Homes. Can my colleague tell us specifically how Build Canada Homes will improve access to housing for families? What impact will that have on our communities?
Arielle Kayabaga Liberal London West, ON
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleague's question.
Earlier, I shared an example of a project that I have seen first-hand, from the start, from the time the first shovels hit the ground. I was recently invited by the residents who live in that building to their Black History Month celebration. When I saw the dignity that long-term housing gave these people, it really made me forget about all the discussions and arguments that we have in the House. It made me forget all the numbers we discuss, whether we are talking about dollars or using other jargon to talk about people who need a home. That is what Build Canada Homes aims to do, and that is what Build Canada Homes will continue to do.
Sébastien Lemire Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Mr. Speaker, I want to say something in connection with Build Canada Homes.
The program's implementation was somewhat chaotic. The government wanted to simply sweep away what was there, but in my home region of Abitibi—Témiscamingue, that could have had serious consequences. A women's shelter with confirmed funding was put on hold for months. The very survival of this project was hanging in the balance. What is more, when it was approved, we had to fight for it, I had to call on my colleagues, and we had to push for it.
There were so many contradictory responses from the minister's office and various other sources. Is all this confusion normal, considering women's safety could be jeopardized while we try to secure political will for Build Canada Homes? I have a lot of questions. Where are we headed with this?
Arielle Kayabaga Liberal London West, ON
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for the question.
I am not very familiar with the issue he is talking about. If that is the case and they went through all that, it is absolutely unacceptable, of course. I would ask my colleague to send us more information about this case so that we can help him and put him in touch with our teams so that they can resolve this issue.
Jonathan Rowe Conservative Terra Nova—The Peninsulas, NL
Mr. Speaker, when our Prime Minister was its chair, Brookfield Asset Management acquired a company called Modulaire.
I am curious if the member across the way could commit to whether the Liberal government plans on using Modulaire or will pledge to not use Modulaire to avoid a conflict of interest.