Federal parties need to take on the issue of affordable housing: Gregor Robertson

TORONTO – The mayors of some of Canada’s largest cities have called on federal parties to make commitments to affordable housing.

Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson says the country is facing a housing crisis and wants the leaders of the federal political parties to make housing an election issue.

He says the federal government has done a good job investing in transit, but housing has largely been ignored.

“It’s an enormous component of Canada’s GDP,” says Robertson. “We have to see clear focus and specific commitments from the federal parties in this election if they’re going to take the economy of Canada seriously going forward.”

Pointing to recent pledges from federal parties on the issue of public transit, he says the next issue in need of investment is housing — especially subsidized housing for those on lower incomes.

“We want to ensure that more affordable housing can be built,” says Robertson. “More social housing and supportive housing for those in great need. That’s where specificity [in terms of election promises] is critial right now.”

The comments came Thursday at a meeting of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Big City Mayor’s Caucus in downtown Toronto.

Toronto Mayor John Tory says in many cities, it is becoming impossible to find affordable housing that is anywhere close to their jobs.

The mayors also urged the federal parties to commit money to help with repair bills their cities have to fix existing affordable housing buildings.

The Greens have promised to create a national housing strategy and offer more funding for co-operative housing, while the NDP say they would pay for more affordable housing through measures including raising the corporate income tax rate.

The Liberals have committed to eliminating the GST on all new rental builds while giving up to $125 million a year to landlords to renovate aging rental units.

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