Neil Levecque

Engage with the federal government, including through Build Canada Homes, CMHC and as part of the National Housing Strategy, to address the growing supportive housing needs of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities across Ontario and Canada. Advocate for innovative housing and financing models that support inclusive, mixed-use communities integrating affordable housing, support services, and community amenities, while advancing accessibility, inclusion, and long-term affordability within Canada's broader housing strategy. Expand the discussion about supports for people within the developmental services sector to include dual diagnoses and the intersection with mental health. Early Learning & Childcare Plan – increased supports for families with a child with special needs, inclusion in the financial commitment for accessible spaces. Canada Disability Benefit – consult with government officials to develop concrete actions to help reduce poverty & create opportunities for meaningful employment for people with intellectual disabilities. Advocate for the inclusion of the developmental services sector when making plans and decisions related to future emergency responses, especially as it relates to the COVID-19 pandemic. Advocate for increased and continued representation of disability sector supports in annual budget. Seek additional funding for Disability Benefits, Disability Tax Credit, Enabling Accessibility Fund. Advocate for federal expansion of the National Occupational Classification (NOC) Skill Level 0, A or B to include developmental service workers (NOC 4212), which are currently not under the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) exemption codes. Accessible Canada Act – contribute to discussions surrounding the ACA’s objective of creating a barrier-free country by 2040.

To ask federal government to continue to apply pressure to provinces and municipalities to reduce development taxes and work with provinces and municipalities to mandate that alternatives to development taxes be found and used instead. The role of Build Canada Homes and the impact upon housing needs in Canada and to ensure that market-rate housing policies are still pursued by the government in addition to the mandate of Build Canada Homes. Implement CMHC Construction Financing, including low-interest financing for market-rate housing for ownership from the government, plus a new construction loan insurance program. Discuss implications for the Canadian home construction sector surrounding proposed 25% tariffs from the United States. Work with provinces to have the EnerGuide Rating System (ERS) label on all houses at the time of resale and expand ERS (and its software tools updated) and be promoted so that ERS becomes the backbone of all renovation incentives. Working with the home construction industry to support innovation and capital investment to increase industry productivity both for in-site built approaches and factory-built solutions. Update the federal immigration system to proactively attract much-needed skilled workers in residential construction. Update and index the thresholds for the GST New Housing Rebate. Support voluntary programming initiatives like ENERGY STAR, R?2000 and CHBA’s Net Zero Home Labelling Program enable homeowners to choose higher levels of performance on a voluntary basis, moving the market forward without damaging affordability in entry?level homes. Support Transit-Oriented Development, Complete Communities and the “Missing Middle” of Housing - To ensure that Canadians get maximum benefit from federal infrastructure investments, the Government needs to support increased supply in the “missing middle” – whether “gentle intensification” via secondary suites, conversion of larger units or medium-density low-rise mixed-income housing, in walkable communities with ready access to public transit. Support local and provincial submissions to the Red Tape Reduction Commission to address issues associated with the Contract Payment Reporting System operated by the Canada Revenue Agency Support for housing research, analysis and demonstration projects on topics of priority interest to the residential construction industry, e.g., on housing market trends Seek Federal research on improved environmental guidelines for residential communities to determine more specifically their cost and technological implications for practitioners in the residential cosntruction and development industries Rigorously enforce provisions of the Income Tax Act and Excise Tax Act in relation to combating the underground "cash economy". Revise the tax regime to avoid GST being applied to new “purposebuilt” rental developments. This increases rents for tenants and renders the business model for investing in purpose-built rentals less attractive, hence discouraging the construction of affordable rental properties. Revise tax rules for accessory suites, such as granny flats and laneway housing, as the current tax system, which incorporates land value rather than just construction costs, and is discouraging this important form of infill housing that is favoured by more and more municipalities. These innovative infill projects increase the number of affordable homes in established neighbourhoods. Replacement of the Contract Payment Reporting System with an alternative that requires all participants in the construction industry to register for a Business Number with the CRA, and that pursues those engaging in cash-only transactions much more aggressively Reintroduce 30-year amortization periods for insured residential mortgages for new construction. Promote a federal YIMBY (yes in my backyard) campaign. New developments (especially densification and mixed income housing) are often met with local public opposition even when aligned with

Engagement regarding the introduction of Build Canada Homes and program development for the agency. Discussing with government on addressing housing affordability and increasing housing supply.