Canada’s Housing Act Prioritizes Other Initiatives over Construction of New Homes

An act to establish a new housing department will not directly result in an increase in homes in Canada, according to federal officials who addressed a recent House of Commons finance committee meeting.

During discussions about parts of Bill 59, known as the Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Act, on March 19, government representatives mentioned that the creation of the Department of Housing, Infrastructure, and Communities would not necessarily lead to more homes for Canadians.

The proposed department would be tasked with various responsibilities related to housing and the prevention of homelessness, as outlined in the bill.

When questioned by Conservative MP Philip Lawrence about the cost associated with establishing the new department, assistant deputy housing minister Gerard Peets clarified that there would be no financial impact from the changes.

Peets described the act as a “transformation” for the Department of Infrastructure Canada.

When asked how many new houses would be constructed as a result of the change, Mr. Peets emphasized that the bill focused on establishing a framework rather than implementing specific programs or measures.

Despite further inquiry from Mr. Lawrence about the goal of building more homes, Peets reiterated that the primary purpose of the legislation was to set up the department to advance government priorities.

While Mr. Lawrence perceived the bill as creating more bureaucracy rather than increasing housing, Liberal MPs disagreed.

During the meeting, the Canadian Housing and Mortgage Corporation’s previous statement that 3.5 million new homes would need to be built by 2030 to maintain affordability in the housing market was also highlighted.