Terry Duguid

[Housing, May 17th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Saskatoon West for once again providing me with the opportunity to speak to the important issue of affordable housing. I also thank her for some of her positive comments on recent investments we have announced in the budget.

As hon. members will know, budget 2016 includes a clear commitment to re-establishing federal leadership in housing and to develop a national housing strategy. This should come as no surprise to her, since the creation of a national housing strategy was a key element of our plan during the last election.

Our government is committed to re-establishing federal leadership in affordable housing, and developing the country's first ever national housing strategy. The leadership that this government has shown in the area of housing does not imply that the federal government has all the answers. In fact, the opposite is true.

Rather than impose a strategy, we will consult widely on how housing outcomes can be improved for all Canadians. Why? Because we recognize that affordable housing is not an issue only for low-income Canadians. It is increasingly a challenge for middle-class households and those striving to join the middle class.

We also know that the best way to identify and implement effective new approaches in housing is by bringing together our key partners, the provinces and territories, as well as first nations, individual Canadians and the full range of housing stakeholders in a national dialogue. A comprehensive consultation plan is currently being developed, and I can assure the House there will be opportunities for Canadians to be heard and that consultations will include discussions on providing greater access to affordable housing for Canadians.

In the meantime, and as the hon. member knows, this government is proceeding with the largest investment in housing of the past 25 years. The budget's housing investments are key components of our planned investments in social infrastructure to help strengthen the middle class, promote inclusive growth and lift more Canadians out of poverty.

Over the next two years, our government will provide $2.3 billion in new funding for affordable housing, a portion of which will be cost-matched by the provinces and territories. Much of this funding will be delivered through the existing agreements with provinces and territories. In fact, this government is already working with its partners to ensure that these funds flow as quickly as possible to communities that need it most.

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation will directly deliver a portion of the funding that has been earmarked for federally administered housing, and we will work with first nations and Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada to deliver new housing investments on reserve.

The goal of these investments is to address urgent needs in the short term, while we take the time needed to develop innovative new approaches over the long term. I am confident that we can count on the support of the member for Saskatoon West as we start implementing the important housing measures from budget 2016, and make our way to the national housing strategy about which I know she feels so deeply.

[Housing, May 10th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, the previous Conservative government did not allocate $30 million, as we have. However, I want to thank the hon. member for his concern for homeowners in the Mauricie region, whose foundations have been damaged by the presence of pyrrhotite. I can assure him that we are also concerned on this side of the House, and we intend to take action.

We applaud the Government of Quebec's commitment to helping these homeowners and have pledged to work with the province on this pressing issue. By providing up to $30 million over three years to help homeowners who are dealing with the consequences of pyrrhotite, the Government of Canada is effectively doubling the financial assistance that has been offered to affected families and individuals. This is the right thing to do, and I am proud that our government is contributing to the solution.

[Housing, May 10th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for Trois-Rivières for his question and for his commitment on the pyrrhotite issue.

Our government recognizes that this is a very important matter for people in the region of Mauricie, and for other regions of Quebec. The pyrrhotite problem has been known for some time now, since the mid-1990s, when contractors in some parts of Quebec began to use concrete containing this mineral to build foundations. Pyrrhotite can cause swelling over time, as concrete slabs are exposed to water. This has led to deterioration of the foundations of homes where pyrrhotite is present in the concrete, along with some commercial and institutional buildings.

In June 2014, the Québec Superior Court concluded that the technical consultants, suppliers, and contractors involved in the supply of the faulty concrete were responsible for this calamity. Nevertheless, it is the individual homeowners who continue to suffer financial hardship. This is not a problem that can normally be repaired with caulking or sealant; it is usually necessary to replace the foundation.

We can all understand the distress that a homeowner would feel after making the most important investment of his or her life, only to find that the home's foundation is falling apart. The Government of Canada recognizes this distress, and we are committed to working with the Government of Quebec to help the people of Mauricie affected by this problem.

That is why, in budget 2016, we provide up to $30 million over three years, starting this year, to help homeowners who are dealing with the consequences of pyrrhotite. The responsibility for regulating the design and construction of new homes and buildings, and for enforcing the existing building codes and standards, falls under provincial and territorial jurisdiction.

As honourable members may know, the Government of Quebec has already provided $30 million in funding to help homeowners repair or replace foundations damaged by pyrrhotite. I would encourage members from across the way to join with this government and support the budget implementation act that sets forth budgetary measures that benefit Canadians from coast to coast to coast, specifically the middle class.

Our government cares about Canadian homeowners and is investing in their well-being. Although the Government of Canada bears no responsibility or liability for this situation, this does not mean that we are willing to ignore the plight of affected homeowners. When the Prime Minister visited the Mauricie region, he acknowledged that the people struggling with pyrrhotite were victims of both a human and economic tragedy. This is a situation that they did not create, nor do most homeowners have the financial means to extricate themselves from it. The Prime Minister promised to make the necessary investments to help affected homeowners, and budget 2016 fulfills that commitment.

[Poverty, May 9th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for Toronto—Danforth for the question and for her passion on this issue.

There are a number of historic measures we have already taken to reduce poverty. To name a couple, we have introduced the Canada child benefit, benefiting nine out of ten Canadian families and lifting hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty. There will be an increase in the GIS for low-income seniors, benefiting 900,000 seniors to ensure that they can retire in dignity.

This is why we will be working with the provinces and territories and indigenous communities to develop a national—

[Housing, April 20th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, again, I want to thank the member for bringing this matter before the House.

Canada benefits from a strong and healthy housing system, but we can do much better. We will shortly be releasing some of the details that the hon. member has asked about. We will be helping vulnerable Canadians find sound, suitable, and sustainable housing. That is a priority for our government.

I would remind the member that budget 2016 includes $2.3 billion in new funding over the next two years. We will be consulting stakeholders. We will be consulting the provinces, territories, indigenous communities, and of course, the members opposite.

[Housing, April 20th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to respond to the member for Hochelaga.

I can assure her that the government shares her concern for low-income households that may be impacted by the expiry of long-term social housing operating agreements. In fact, budget 2016 addresses this very issue with significant short-term investments to preserve existing rent-geared-to-income units in social housing projects across the country.

Our government believes that new approaches are needed to improve housing outcomes for all Canadians, including those living in social housing units. This is why we have committed to consult with the provinces, territories, municipalities, indigenous people, and housing stakeholders on a national housing strategy that will identify innovative, long-term solutions to current and future housing challenges.

At the same time, we recognize that action is needed to address pressing problems in the short-term, including the potential loss of rent-geared-to-income units when operating agreements expire over the next couple of years. As well, much of the existing social housing stock requires major capital repairs and modifications.

Our government pledged during the election campaign to provide leadership in supporting affordable housing. Budget 2016 is an important step in this direction with proposed new funding of $2.3 billion over two years to give Canadians greater access to affordable housing.

As the member for Hochelaga will know, this new funding includes close to $574 million to support the renovation, and energy and water efficiency retrofit of existing social housing units. This investment will improve living conditions for thousands of households, and will also make these units more affordable to operate and maintain over time.

More to the point in regard to the member's question, budget 2016 includes measures to preserve affordability for low-income households in social housing as operating agreements expire. Up to $30 million will be provided to renew existing subsidies for all federally administered social housing projects with operating agreements expiring in the next two years.

This funding will be provided on a transitional basis until the end of March 2018. To receive assistance, housing providers will be required to maintain or increase the number of rent-geared-to-income units for low-income households.

For federally administered projects where operating agreements expire prior to April 1, 2016, funding from the investment in affordable housing can be used to provide rent subsidies or other forms of assistance. Housing providers should contact the housing agency in their jurisdiction to inquire about funding assistance.

As for social housing projects administered by the provinces and territories, budget 2016 will double federal funding for the investment in affordable housing over the next two years. This investment will be cost-matched by the provinces and territories. Combined with current funding for the IAH, this will provide just under $1 billion in federal funding that can be used to protect affordability for low-income households living in projects where operating agreements will expire before March 2018.

As I have noted, this is a transitional measure while the government consults with the provinces, territories, indigenous, and other communities on a national housing strategy.

[Housing, April 20th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I know the hon. member's riding of Nanaimo—Ladysmith is a riding with significant needs to reduce poverty. She can rest assured that helping vulnerable Canadians find suitable, affordable, and sustainable housing is and always will be a priority for this government and, indeed, for members on both sides of the House.

Over the next year, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and I will be consulting with the provinces, territories, indigenous people, and other stakeholders to develop a strategy that delivers better housing outcomes in all regions of the country, including the north, indigenous communities, and of course, Vancouver Island.

[Housing, April 20th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I believe our government has been very clear in budget 2016 about our plans to invest in affordable housing, and I will take advantage of the opportunity that the member for Nanaimo—Ladysmith provides me to reiterate our commitment to affordable housing for the benefit of members on all sides of the House.

During last year's election campaign, the Prime Minister promised that a Liberal government would re-establish federal leadership in affordable housing and create a comprehensive national housing strategy to help ensure that all Canadians have access to the housing they need. This is exactly what we are doing. With the budget that was tabled by the Minister of Finance last month, I am proud to say that we are taking concrete steps toward fulfilling this commitment.

In the short term, budget 2016 provides $2.3 billion in funding for affordable housing to help boost Canada's economic growth, build stronger communities, and help tens of thousands of families access housing that is safe and affordable. This funding is over and above the $2 billion the federal government already spends on housing each and every year and will be targeted to address some of the most pressing housing needs facing low-income and other vulnerable Canadians across the country.

These new investments include more than $504 million to create and renovate affordable housing and improve housing affordability, over $200 million to build or renovate affordable housing for low-income seniors, $90 million to build or renovate more than 3,000 shelter spaces for victims of domestic violence, $574 million to repair and improve the energy and water efficiency of existing social units, up to $30 million to renew subsidies on a transitional basis for all federally administered social housing projects with operating agreements expiring in the next two years, and $554 million to improve housing conditions for first nations people living on reserve. The list goes on. There is $178 million to address the unique housing challenges in the north and Inuit communities, and $111 million to tackle homelessness. These are significant investments and they will all be delivered over the next two years to address urgent housing needs across the country.

Budget 2016 also includes two important initiatives to support the construction of affordable rental housing. First, we will create a new affordable rental housing innovation fund, with funding of $208 million over five years, to test innovative business approaches to lower the costs and risks of financing for affordable rental housing projects. The second initiative, the proposed affordable rental housing financing initiative, would provide up to $2.5 billion in low-cost loans over five years to municipalities and housing developers during the earliest and riskiest phase of development.

As we deliver these immediate investments, we will also be developing a comprehensive and forward-looking national housing strategy that will promote innovative new approaches to diverse housing challenges and opportunities that exist across Canada. In this context, the federal government will be engaging the provinces and territories, indigenous communities, and other housing stakeholders across the country in the coming months.

[The Budget, April 14th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member from Toronto for her question.

Indeed, we do share much in common. My riding is the home of the University of Manitoba, our major research university. We have enhanced grants, particularly for low-income families, as well as loans. Students will now have to make at least $25,000 before having to begin paying back their student loan. They will get that extra time to get a good job before they have to start paying back their loan.

I would also point out that there have been other major investments in our universities. There is a $2 billion knowledge infrastructure fund that will be administered by the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, and there are major investments in research, CIHR, Genome Canada, and CFI. As well, we have formally ended the war on science.

[The Budget, April 14th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question. I forgot to thank the previous hon. member for his question, so I will do that now.

I had the very good fortune to be the environment commissioner for the Province of Manitoba, the home province of the member for Elmwood—Transcona, and I know the importance of good process.

Members have heard the Minister of Natural Resources and the Minister of Environment and Climate Change talk about the good process that we intend to follow. We believe that the environment and the economy can go together and must go together, and we will follow due process in assessing all of these pipelines.