Jagmeet Singh and the NDP want to build more affordable homes, faster in Thunder Bay « Canada’s NDP
In Thunder Bay, the vacancy rate for a two-bedroom apartment is at one per cent, leaving renters with very few options
THUNDER BAY – On Thursday, Canada’s NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh was in Thunder Bay proposing solutions to the housing crisis facing renters and fueling homelessness in the city.
Singh wants to incentivize the building of more affordable housing by removing the federal portion of GST and HST on the development of new affordable homes. New Democrats are also advocating for improvements to the government’s co-investment fund which provides financial support to build new units as well as repair and renovate existing affordable units – adding more spaces for local renters.
“Everyone should be able to find a place that they can afford that’s safe and fits their family’s needs. But right now, there is not much available in Thunder Bay,” said Singh. “For eight years, Justin Trudeau has promised to tackle the housing crisis, but things just keep getting worse. I’m hearing from residents that it’s harder than ever to find an affordable place for families.
And Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives are all talk— they continue to support rich developers getting even richer. People in Thunder Bay need solutions now and that’s exactly what New Democrats are pushing for.”
In 2017, the Liberals committed to removing the GST from rental construction, but they have broken that promise leaving people in communities like Thunder Bay to struggle with very low vacancy rates and sky-high prices.
Without urgent action, the city’s housing crisis will get worse as higher interest rates drive up the already-elevated costs of owning a home, putting further pressure on the rental market.
“There is no reason that Thunder Bay, like many other cities I have visited, doesn’t have enough affordable homes. We have the tools to fix it,” said Singh. “We need to build more affordable homes, faster. But the Liberal government has to stop prioritizing the profits of those who use the housing market to get rich instead of doing what’s best for working people. New Democrats are fighting for changes that serve working people in northern Ontario.”