Fighting Trudeau’s housing crisis, new homes on federal lands

MONTREAL – Jagmeet Singh was in Montreal today, continuing to roll out his plan to fight Justin Trudeau’s housing crisis. Jagmeet committed to using available federal lands to build homes everyday people can afford.

“For six years, Justin Trudeau has had the power to make housing more affordable. Instead of taking tangible steps, like building homes people can afford in the Peel Basin area in Montreal, Trudeau has saved the land and left it available for ultra-rich investors to take over and turn huge profits,” said Jagmeet. “I’m not Justin Trudeau. I don’t work for billionaires. I fight for regular families, and I’m committed to building more homes people can afford – including right here in the Peel Basin area.”

Justin Trudeau’s housing crisis means the cost of homes in Montreal has increased by more than $200,000 since 2015 and the average rent has gone up by 20%.

Residents and housing groups have been calling on Justin Trudeau to use available federal lands in the Peel Basin area to build homes people can afford. Instead of taking action, Trudeau has left it available for billionaire developers like his friend and Liberal insider Stephen Bronfman for private development.

During the announcement, Jagmeet emphasized that he would work with Indigenous peoples to ensure proper consultations are done and that treaty rights are respected in the transfer of federal lands. Jagmeet added that he would also work with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities to purchase affordable rental housing to keep rent low and discourage big investors from buying up rental buildings to drive up rent.

Today’s commitment builds on Jagmeet’s plan for 1.7 million homes and adds to his plan to take big money out of housing by:

• Building 500,000 new homes families can afford.
• Keeping wealthy speculators out of the housing market.
• Cracking down on house flipping and other activities that drive up house prices.
• Helping families buy their first home.
• Protecting affordable rental properties and taking steps to make rent more affordable