Claudine Bourgeois

Lobbying for the preservation of affordable rental housing Lobbying for the development of new affordable housing, including co-operative housing. Lobbying to ensure that low-income households can continue to live affordably in federally-administered housing co-operatives after their operating agreements end with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). Lobbying for renewed low-income subsidies for federal indigenous co-operatives. Lobbying for new low-income subsidies for federal co-ops (including Section 95 program co-op housing). Lobbying for government to examine the consequences of the steady erosion of rent-geared-to-income (RGI) capacity for low-income households in existing federally administered housing providers, including co-operatives. Lobbying for energy retrofit programs for co-op housing. Lobbying around the elimination of homelessness in Canada.

The role of Build Canada Homes (BCH) in addressing Canada’s housing needs, while ensuring the federal government continues to advance policies for the entire housing continuum. We strongly support that BCH must deliver deeply affordable, non-market housing for the most vulnerable in our society. Addressing homelessness and ensuring low-income Canadians have safe, secure housing is essential to building a fair and inclusive Canada, and REALTORS® are committed to helping make this a success. However, solving the housing crisis requires addressing the full continuum of needs. That means ensuring Build Canada Homes must demonstrate that federal investments can unlock attainable, market-based housing for middle-class families who are increasingly shut out of ownership. Partner with provinces, territories and municipalities on a National Housing Strategy that prioritizes housing choice across the full continuum, from ending homelessness to rebuilding the pathway to homeownership for generations of Canadians. Identify clearly defined, outcome-driven mandates for both Build Canada Homes (BCH) and the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Commit to the preservation and restoration of an attainable pathway to homeownership for middle-class Canadians, including an increased national focus on helping create more missing middle supply across the country. Introduce targeted measures to support seniors in transitioning to appropriately sized housing within their existing communities— by enabling aging in place, facilitating home-sharing or rental of secondary suites, supporting downsizing, or allowing property severance to create additional housing units—thereby unlocking family-sized homes and generating retirement income while addressing the housing needs of younger Canadian families. The federal government should help scale and catalyze the modern methods of construction, such as the prefabricated housing industry to leverage and strengthen this emerging industry for the benefit of all Canadians and the entire housing system. It is recommended that building code harmonization—to improve affordability and innovation—be paired with a further requirement of the CSA A277 standard to be adopted by provinces and territories to ensure compliance, facilitate faster approval and processes, and create consistency across the country. To urge the federal government to continue pressuring provinces and municipalities to reduce development taxes, and to collaborate with them to identify, mandate, and implement alternative funding mechanisms in place of development taxes. Amendments and modernization of the GST/HST new housing rebate. Fully remove the GST/HST on newly built homes for first-time home buyers. If that does not help to stimulate new housing starts, the federal government should consider extending the GST/HST Rebate to all owner-occupiers who purchase a newly built primary residence (i.e. seniors looking to downsize) and sell their existing home to another owner-occupier. Ensure Build Canada Homes represents a transformative change to grow and support a healthier housing system in Canada, that serves the needs of our entire population. It is essential to approach the solutions to the housing crisis from a systems lens – from supporting young Canadians that hope to own their own home one day to building diversified non-market housing and investing in the policy solutions needed to end homelessness. Increasing the capital gains inclusion rate Updating and developing Canada's Immigration policy to include a housing workforce immigration strategy to attract skilled trade workers from abroad, while streamlining the immigration process for qualified professionals willing to work in the construction industry to build more housing supply across the entire continuum. The Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing (PCMLTFA) with respect to a threshold for and reduced compliance for small business. The Proceeds of Crime (Money La