Finance committee  Yes, we forget—

Finance committee  We often forget about supply. We always consider demand, which is very strong, given that mortgage interest rates are at an all-time low. That said, any measure that would facilitate supply, and therefore the construction of more housing—affordable or otherwise—would be welcome.

Finance committee  I'm not convinced that shared ownership increases costs for those people who choose it. Geographically speaking, it always depends on where you are. That said, as you mentioned at the end of your question, it may not be the choice these people want to make. Take the example of a

Finance committee  No.

Finance committee  In terms of the number of people who want to buy a house, the demand is stronger in part because our interest rates are at historical lows.

Finance committee  To expand on my colleague's reply about activity, it is indeed too soon to tell. From the November, December and January results, we have not yet seen a downward impact on the number of real estate transactions. However, we are expecting that to be the case in the spring, which i

Finance committee  Thank you for the question, Mr. Fergus. In terms of what borrowers are able to do, a lot of things have happened in the last few years. Mortgages have been tightened six times in the last eight years. When borrowers show a good ability to pay and have a good credit history, the

Finance committee  It is preferable, but, on the other hand, if the criteria required to buy a first-time home are too hard to meet, people are prevented from owning a home. That is quite easy to demonstrate. According to the data that we have for the last 35 years, because of the forced savings a

Finance committee  I cannot confirm that for you for 1995, but, before 2008, it was easier because, nowadays, the criteria are significantly more strict than they were then.

Finance committee  In 2017, in fact, we are forecasting a drop in residential sales in Quebec in the order of 7%. Those most affected by the new mortgage rules are mostly buyers with a down payment of less than 20%, meaning mostly first-time buyers. According to our estimates, the interest rate st