The Liberals fail to deliver homes Canadians can afford

NDP Housing Critic, Jenny Kwan, issued the following statement:

“Canadians are faced with a housing crisis. More and more families are unable to find a place they can afford to call home. Nearly half of the units currently in the Liberal housing plan are expected to come from the Rental Construction Financing Initiative (RCFI) which builds unaffordable and above-market rents that are out of reach to Canadian families in need of housing.

Nearly all the government funding finalized under this program has gone to for-profit developers who have no interest in offering homes people can afford. This Liberal government is completely out of touch with people struggling to get by with the cost of living skyrocketing. Canadians deserve better.

Furthermore, the Liberal government fails to be transparent with Canadians about the number of affordable housing units to be built and their definition of “affordable housing” often ends up being significantly above the average market rent. This is unacceptable.

The NDP continues to call on Justin Trudeau’s government to make the RCFI program more accessible to non-profits and change how affordability is measured under their program. CMHC’s low interest loan programs to private developers should provide units that are below market so that families can find a home they can afford in the communities where they work and live.

While the Liberal Minister of Housing says he wants to protect real estate investors, New Democrats want to protect every day Canadians looking for a safe, secure and affordable place to call home.”