Judy Sgro

[Committees of the House, June 14th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the eighth report of the Standing Committee on International Trade, entitled “Investor-State Dispute Settlement: Some Considerations for Canada”.

Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests the government table a comprehensive response to this report.

[Committees of the House, June 11th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 107(3), I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the fourth report of the Liaison Committee, entitled “Committee Activities and Expenditures April 1, 2020 - March 31, 2021”. This report highlights the work and accomplishments of each committee and details the budgets that fund the activities approved by committee members.

[Business of Supply, June 8th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, I am tremendously proud of what the government has managed to accomplish in such a short period of time. It created 63,000 new units, provided 126,000 repaired units so that now people have a decent place to live, and issued affordability support to over 36,000 people. That is already happening now, so I am very proud of the work that our government has done and I know it is going to do a lot more in the future.

[Business of Supply, June 8th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, certainly working with the provinces is key, and with the other stakeholders, to create the kind of housing that we all want to see created. In the meantime, our government has invested over $27 billion since coming to office and has committed to spending another $70 billion under the national housing strategy.

We will continue to work with all of our partners across the country, and our stakeholders, to do everything possible to create as much housing as possible and put an end to the homelessness that continues to be a significant problem in our country. Homelessness is not something we want to see for anybody. Everybody should have a safe place to live, and I believe we are committing all of that money.

We have also committed $1.25 billion to help many Canadians buy their first homes, so we are helping in a multitude of different ways with a variety of provinces and stakeholders.

[Business of Supply, June 8th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, that is such an important question. All 338 of us, as members of Parliament, care very much about the issue of our veterans and want everything from improved services for mental health to, of course, housing.

Since the beginning of the national housing strategy, we have created over 63,000 units of housing. We have repaired over 126,000 units, and we have provided over 36,000 households with affordability support. We recognize the challenge is there. We have committed the money, and we intend to make sure that everybody has a safe home, especially our veterans.

[Business of Supply, June 8th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, before I commence my remarks on the file we are discussing tonight, I want to express my condolences to everyone in the Muslim community, to the family in question and to everyone in London and Canada. That terrible tragedy has saddened all of us. We certainly have to commit to move forward and find a way to eliminate these kinds of terrible tragedies. I extend condolences on behalf of everybody in Humber River—Black Creek.

I am pleased to join this debate on the motion by the member for Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon. I want to focus on his call for our government to examine a temporary freeze on home purchases by non-resident foreign buyers. I know this is an issue that the hon. member cares very much about, as we all do. It is an issue across all ridings, as well as mine, Humber River—Black Creek.

The issue of foreign ownership of housing in Canada is a complicated one, and our understanding of the problem has been hindered to some degree by a lack of hard data. That is why, in budget 2017, our government committed almost $40 million over five years for Statistics Canada to develop a new Canadian housing statistics program. This program was created in part to investigate the role of foreign homebuyers in the Canadian housing market, something that all of us, when we are in our ridings, have been witness to, when we see houses sitting empty just long enough for the owners to flip them.

It also aims to improve our understanding of the characteristics of residential properties and their owners that impact affordability. This program will provide a complete database of all residential properties in Canada, including whether property owners are residents of Canada. This information will be invaluable to all levels of government in developing future housing policies.

Recent reports by both Statistics Canada and CMHC indicate that the share of non-resident-owned condominium apartment units in most of Canada's major cities so far remains relatively low, but while groundbreaking research by CMHC a few years ago confirmed that foreign investment was clearly a factor driving house price acceleration in cities like Vancouver and Toronto, it is not the only factor driving the prices up. The same report identified inadequate supply as the main driver of high house prices in major centres.

As we all know, our government is working with the provinces, territories and many other partners and stakeholders to address the supply challenge through the national housing strategy. I have to say how happy I am that our government reintroduced the national housing strategy. For many years, we did not have any kind of housing strategy in the House at the federal level. I am thrilled that we introduced it, and we have already made significant accomplishments. This 10-year, $70-billion-plus plan has already added or repaired tens of thousands of affordable housing units in communities across the country. Many of those units were unlivable, but people did not have an alternative. There was nowhere else to go.

The national housing strategy has had a positive impact on my riding, where residents have been in dire need of additional units. We must ensure that these units are available to those who are on Canadian soil. The issue of foreign ownership and, perhaps more specifically, the issue of unoccupied units owned by non-residents of Canada is the real crux of this problem. The fact is that units are being purchased by speculators, whether foreign or domestic, and left empty while the owners wait for prices to rise and while many are still left without a place to call home.

Many of the streets in Humber River—Black Creek have homes where the grass does not get cut until the end of the season, completely abandoned. Owners are waiting for the chance to sell their properties and make money. This is unacceptable, especially in communities like Toronto where housing is already in short supply. The government recognizes the problem, and we are taking serious steps to address it.

The member will recall that last fall's economic statement acknowledged that speculative demand from foreign non-resident investors contributes to unaffordable housing prices for many Canadians. At the same time, we committed to help make housing markets more secure and affordable for Canadians by ensuring that these individuals pay their fair share, at a minimum.

I was therefore delighted, as I am sure all of my colleagues were, even on the other side, when the Minister of Finance confirmed in budget 2021 that the federal government would be implementing a national 1% tax on the value of non-resident, non-Canadian owned residential real estate that is considered to be vacant or underused. I would have liked to see it higher than 1%, personally, but it is a beginning.

This new tax, which will come into effect on January 1 of next year, will require all owners, other than Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada, to file a declaration as to the current use of the property, with significant penalties for failure to file. As we stated in the budget, the government believes that homes are meant to live in. This measure is one way to ensure that houses in Canada are first and foremost a place for Canadians to live, to raise their families and to build their futures.

Some time will be needed to ensure that the tax is designed and implemented fairly and effectively. In the coming months, we will release a consultation paper to give stakeholders an opportunity to comment on the parameters of the proposed tax, including whether special rules should be established for small tourism and resort communities.

We will, of course, work closely with the provinces, territories and municipalities in implementing this new tax, which is expected to increase federal revenues by about $700 million over four years, starting in 2022-23. These revenues will help to support the significant investments in budget 2021 to make housing more affordable for all Canadians. These investments include $2.5 billion in new funding and a reallocation of $1.3 billion in existing funding to help build, repair and support 35,000 existing housing units. Budget 2021 will also support the conversion to housing of the empty office space that has appeared in many of our downtowns by reallocating $300 million from the rental construction financing initiative.

Budget 2021 not only fulfills our commitment to implement a tax on vacant or underused residential property owned by foreign non-residents. It also builds on our legacy of investing heavily in housing affordability. The combination of massive investments to make housing more affordable for the most vulnerable, to end homelessness and to limit foreign speculation in the housing market will help ensure that Canada's economic recovery is an inclusive one that helps more people join the middle class.

I know that the member who put the motion forward shares this goal. He has frequently brought the matter of affordability to the attention of the House, and I commend him for that. However, his motion suggests that we need to begin by tearing down all the progress we have made, and that is not something I can agree with him on. Tens of thousands of Canadian families have benefited from our investments to date through the national housing strategy, including constituents in the riding represented by the member.

Our government is confident that the path we are on with the national housing strategy is the right one for Canada, and we will not stop making progress until everyone has a safe and affordable place to call home.

[Petitions, June 3rd, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased today to rise in this virtual House to present petition e-3319, with well over 4,000 signatures in a very short time.

The petition calls on the government to amend the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights and establish a committee to review the bill further.

I want to recognize the hard work and advocacy of Jennifer Neville-Lake, who initiated this particular petition, as well as Louise Russo, who has worked for years and years on the issue of victims of crime and changes.

The Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime, in her 2020 progress report, indicated that the objectives set out in the act have not been met and that the act falls far short of delivering the real rights it promised. As well, the Department of Justice, in its 2019 report, found that victims often feel revictimized, and acknowledged in the report that major changes are needed to support the rights of victims, survivors and their families.

I want to recognize all of those who signed this petition. My thoughts and prayers are with all of the families who have clearly suffered immensely, and hope we can see positive change in the future in regard to the lives of the victims of crime.

[Italian Canadians, May 27th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, I have had the honour of being a member of Parliament in the House for over 20 years, even though it seems like yesterday, but today is a very special day. It is something I have worked toward for some time.

To hear an official apology given by the Prime Minister of Canada in the House of Commons is a historical event. A black mark on the government has finally been removed through an apology to the families of the Italian internees of World War II.

May 27 will surely be a day that all Italian Canadians, especially those watching from my riding of Humber River—Black Creek, will always remember as I will. I know we cannot undo what has been done, but this apology will bring closure for the families I have heard from for many years.

I am proud of the Prime Minister and our government, and on behalf of myself, my wonderful husband, Sam Sgro, all those from Humber River—Black Creek and all those impacted, I say “Thank you, grazie, mille grazie.”

[Budget Implementation Act, 2021, No. 1, May 25th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, I could have had my screen off and still would have known that the individual speaking was a Conservative from his thought process.

I have to wonder what the Conservatives would have done for the thousands and thousands of people who would have ended up unemployed, or are unemployed, as a result of this pandemic. As for child care and women, we have a huge labour shortage in Canada and thousands of women would love to go to work, but do not have adequate child care.

What would my colleague propose if the Conservatives were in charge during this pandemic?

[Falun Dafa Day, May 13th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, as the co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Falun Gong, also called Falun Dafa, it is my great pleasure to join the millions of people around the world in over 100 countries who are celebrating Falun Dafa Day. I extend my warmest greetings to the Falun Gong community and all of their supporters on the 29th anniversary of Falun Dafa's introduction to the rest of the world.

The universal values that we all share of truthfulness, compassion and tolerance, which are at the heart of Falun Dafa, are also wonderful ideals for building an outstanding country like Canada. I appreciate Falun Dafa for continuing to bring these values to life in Canada and for joining all of us in creating a better world and a better country.

This celebration is an opportunity to recognize the benefits of this moral teaching that has made excellent contributions toward a more healthy, peaceful, tolerant and compassionate society. I commend members of Falun Dafa for their courage, perseverance and peaceful resolve in upholding faith, freedom and justice. It is a true reflection of the principles of Falun Dafa, which are admirable. It speaks loudly to the merits of its teachings.