A 2023 update: to date, the federal government has introduced $82 billion to the National Housing Strategy which supports a number of programs to significantly build supply and support for people purchasing their new home, building homes for the most vulnerable, helping seniors age in place and a $1.5 billion dollar investment for the next generation of co-op housing.
But it’s not enough. All government levels–municipal, provincial, and federal–hold different keys (e.g., application and permit processes, zoning, financial supports, loans etc.) to unlock the problem. We need the three levels of government to work together with a determined focus. I have written to our new Housing Minister Sean Fraser (as I did with our former housing minister: see letter HERE) to ask him to call an urgent meeting in Toronto, of all three levels to discuss how we can all work together to clear roadblocks, red tape, confusion, and delays to massively accelerate the amount of housing being built in Toronto and across the country.
My commitment to Davenport residents is that I will work with our government to ensure that every day we are welcoming all creative solutions and exploring all options. As an aside, I do not support any development of the Greenbelt as a solution and have asked the Climate Change & Environment Minister to use every tool at our disposal to stop its development (See my letter HERE)
Canada is experiencing a housing crisis. This has been over 30 years in the making. We have the tools and resources to resolve it–with good leadership and cooperation at all three levels, I am hopeful that progress will be made.