Human Resources committee  We need all levels of government working together. Finding that alignment and having those discussions are paramount because if we don't, we're going to just spiral the way we are right now, so we definitely need everybody working together.

Human Resources committee  I'm sorry, you're saying they're being asked to retract the...? I think as long as you want more purpose-built rental built moving forward, you're going to need to not have GST on purpose-built rental or you're going to have to find some other way to make the business model more viable.

Human Resources committee  As we were saying earlier, I think that the removal of GST was an important part of making the business model viable for purpose-built rental, and more needs to be done. As I said, we need lower interest on loans, and that can come through CMHC as well. We need to be better able to access those loans with fewer hoops to jump through.

Human Resources committee  Like we said earlier, development taxes are out of control, and every measure that can help get them back under control is going to be essential moving forward.

Human Resources committee  I expect all parties will want to do something about development taxes.

Human Resources committee  Thank you for the question. In terms of the Canadian Home Builders' Association, we principally build market-rate housing. The job of our association and our members is to make sure that market-rate housing is available, and we do what we can to make sure that it is affordable for middle-income families.

Human Resources committee  I think the approach that was taken to really attack zoning, permitting and that sort of thing is really important. It's equally important because those monies were promised based on housing outcomes and housing numbers, so I think it's also going to be important that we make sure the municipalities that were granted the funding successfully achieve those numbers through the course of the program, as was its intent.

Human Resources committee  Yes. I mean, I really do think we need all forms of purpose-built rentals, not just those that are sort of in the below-market-rate space. We need many more.

Human Resources committee  Yes, there has been.

Human Resources committee  That I can't say. You'll have to ask them.

Human Resources committee  That's a good question. If we would have had all of these actions on housing supply.... The new federal plan has some potential. I hope everybody keeps building on that moving forward because they're the types of actions and holistic approaches that need to occur if we're going to get more supply on board and get affordability under control.

Human Resources committee  Yes, we do. As I mentioned, the business model for purpose-built rentals has been broken for a long time, and the numbers just don't pencil out. In order to build more purpose-built rentals, you have to be able to do it and not lose money, frankly. The taxation system has been a problem and is now an opportunity, thanks to the removal of the GST.

Human Resources committee  I think the most important way it's going to have an impact on the renter is by actually having units to rent. We have a huge supply issue, so right now what you see is increased rental rates. It's costing people more because of the lack of supply. It's very expensive to build right now.

Human Resources committee  I think we're still early on with that program. You'll have to ask CMHC for the data that they have. It's their program. I will say that what's interesting about that program is that it targeted the right thing, we would suggest, which is getting more supply online. Although the municipalities could use the funding for whatever they wanted, essentially, within the housing spectrum, the idea was that we would address the policies, practices, procedures, approval timelines, permitting systems and all of those things to get more online and come with concrete goals.

Human Resources committee  That is correct.