Canada’s housing crisis | Vassy Kapelos’ one-on-one with Housing Minister Sean Fraser

EDMONTON MALL TO GO INTO LOCKDOWN. FEDERAL CABINET MINISTERS ARE GATHERING RIGHT NOW AT A RETREAT IN CHARLOTTETOWN AND WHILE THE WILDFIRE RESPONSE IS ONE OF THE TOP PRIORITIES, SO IS CANADA’S HOUSING CRISIS. ONE OF THE STRATEGIES BEING DISCUSSED AS A POSSIBLE CAP ON SCHOOLS ATTRACTING INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS. >> I AM STANDING BY.

RIGHT NEXT TO THE MAN WHO OVERSEES THIS VERY VITAL PORTFOLIO FOR THE COUNTRY AS MINISTER OF HOUSING. I WANTED TO START BY ASKING YOU ABOUT THE SCOPE OF THE ISSUE. IS THE LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN NATIONAL CRISIS? >> I THINK WE ARE CERTAINLY IN A CRISIS SITUATION FOR FAMILIES

LIVING WITH INTENSE HOUSING CHALLENGES. I’M TALKING BUT SENIORS WHO CAN’T FIND A PLACE TO LIVE, STUDENTS YOU HAVE TO LIVE MORE THAN AN HOUR AWAY FROM THE PLACE THAT THEY STUDY. SOMETIMES HOUSEHOLD WITH TWO PEOPLE WORKING WHO CAN’T FIND A PLACE THEY CAN AFFORD. THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE DONE QUITE WELL.

PEOPLE WHO OWN ASSETS THAT HAVE APPRECIATED IN VALUE. THE EXACT NATURE OF HOW A NATIONAL CRISIS IMPACTS YOU VARIES IMMENSELY. BUT I DON’T GET DOES ANY GOOD FOR SOMEONE IN MY POSITION WHO WANTS TO PLAY A LEADERSHIP ROLE TO IGNORE THE MAGNITUDE OF THESE ISSUES. TO MY QUESTION, CERTAINLY I

WOULD CHARACTERIZE THE SITUATION AS A CRISIS NOW BUT IT’S ALSO AN EXTRA ORDINARY OPPORTUNITY. IF WE GET IT RIGHT, IF WE CAN BUILD THE HOMES THAT WILL SOLVE THE CHALLENGES CANADIANS ARE LIVING THROUGH, THE CANADIAN ECONOMY IS POSITIONED VERY WELL. WE HAVE TO CLEAR SOME OF THESE BOTTLENECKS THAT PEOPLE WILL

REALLY FEEL IN ORDER TO GET WHERE WE NEED TO BE. >> IF IT IS A CRISIS OF THE MAGNITUDE THAT YOU DESCRIBE AND IF WE ARE HEARING FROM CANADIANS, WHAT DOES THAT NECESSITATE IN TERMS OF A RESPONSE FROM YOUR GOVERNMENT. WAS IT A MISTAKE FOR THE PRIME

MINISTER TO DESCRIBE IT AS NOT A PRIMARY FEDERAL RESPONSIBILITY? >> BEFORE I ADDRESS MY OWN TAKE ON THIS, WE SHOULD LIVE THROUGH THE SECOND HALF OF THE SENTENCE WHERE HE SAID WE CAN AND WE MUST HELP. I’VE LEARNED OVER MY YEARS, WENT SOMEONE WHO COMES… SITS DOWN IN YOUR OFFICE, THEY

DON’T WANT YOU TO SAY THIS IS SOMEBODY ELSE’S PROBLEM. THEY WANT TO KNOW HOW YOU’RE GOING TO HELP. CERTAINLY DOES A ROLE FOR MUNICIPALITIES, FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUT WHEN I’M HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE, THEY WANT LEADERSHIP. I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO STEP INTO A ROLE WHERE WE CAN MEET

THE COUNTRY TOWARDS A BETTER SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES, WHETHER THAT’S FINDING A PLACE TO RENT, OWNING A HOME. MY POINT OF VIEW IS THAT YES, THIS DEMANDS A RESPONSE FROM FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. PART OF THAT WILL BE LEVERAGING FEDERAL POLICIES AND INCENTIVIZING CHANGE AT A COMMUNITY LEVEL TO INSPIRE THEM

TO ISSUE PERMITS TO BUILD MORE QUICKLY AND WORKING WITH PRIVATE SECTORS TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THE WORKFORCE THEY NEED. >> I THINK WHAT YOU’RE SAYING MAKES A LOT OF SENSE TO CANADIANS. I TAKE YOUR POINT ABOUT THE SECOND HALF OF WHAT HE DID SAY

IN THAT ANSWER BUT HE WASN’T AS SPECIFIC AS YOU ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE THE LEADER ON THIS ISSUE EVEN THOUGH IT IS A… >> I WOULD POINT NOT JUST TO WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING BUT LOOK AT THE THINGS BEHALF STARTED DOING. IF I LOOK AT THE HOUSING

ACCELERATOR FUND, THIS IS A FUND WHERE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS PUT FORTH — $4 BILLION ON THE TABLE BUT INCENTIVIZING MEANNESS PUT CHANGES BY THINK WE’LL CONTRIBUTE A PER-UNIT SUBSIDY TO MAKE THE CHANGES THAT WILL GET PERMITS OUT THE DOOR WHICH MEANS DENSER HOUSING OPTIONS AND BIG AND MEDIUM-SIZED CITIES.

HAVING ACCESS TO THE KIND OF INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WILL ALLOW DEVELOPMENT IN SMALLER COMMUNITIES. THIS MIGHT EVEN MEAN DEVELOPING A MODERN DIGITAL PERMITTING SYSTEM. WHAT WE’VE ACTUALLY DONE IS CREATED A PROGRAM WHERE WE ARE ASKING COMMUNITIES TO IDENTIFY WHAT THEIR SOLUTIONS ARE AND HAVING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PUT MONEY ON THE TABLE TO

INCENTIVIZE CHANGES THAT WILL REALIZE THE SOLUTIONS? >> I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT THAT. WHAT IT DOES AND I TAKE YOUR POINT BUT THE WAY IT IS DESIGNED. WHEN IT PLAYS OUT, IT’S SUPPOSED TO ACCELERATE BUILDING THROUGH THE $4 BILLION OF 100,000. THE CHIEF SAYS THERE NEEDS TO BE

5.8 MILLION NEW HOMES CREATED BY 2030 IN ORDER TO RESTORE AFFORDABILITY. WHAT YOUR GOVERNMENT HAS PROPOSED SO FAR WILL JUST MAKE A SMALL DENT. IS IT ABOUT AMPLIFYING WHAT YOU’VE ARTIE DONE OR ARE YOU GOING TO PUT NEW THINGS ON THE TABLE? >> WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT NEW

POLICIES TO HELP ACCELERATE THE CONSTRUCTION OF MORE HOUSING BUT KEEP IN MIND THAT THE DIRECT IMPACT OF THE FEDERAL POLICIES, WE ARE INCENTIVIZING CHANGE TO HAVE MUNICIPALITIES PERMIT MORE HOMES. WE ARE NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT THE HOMES THAT WILL BE BUILT IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. THERE’S A PROGRAM THAT WE JUST

MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT, THE FINANCING INITIATIVE WHERE WE PUT $500 MILLION IN FINANCING ON THE TABLE — >> HOW MANY MORE UNITS IS NOT GOING TO CREATE? >> THAT PROJECT IS GOING TO HAVE 1100 UNITS IN VANCOUVER WHAT ALL OF THAT MONEY IS GETTING PAID BACK. WE ARE REPEATING THESE SUCCESSES

ACROSS THE COUNTRY UNTIL WE CREATE SOLUTIONS THAT PEOPLE CAN SEE ARE GOING TO WORK IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND SOLVE THE PROBLEM IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. IT’S NOT ENOUGH FOR US TO DEAL WITH 100,000 UNITS AT A TIME WHEN YOU TAKE A STEP BACK AND LOOK AT THE COMBINED IMPACTS,

WHEN WE CAN ALIGN THEM WITH THE WORK THE MUNICIPALITIES ARE DOING, I HAVE FAITH WE CAN GET WHERE WE NEED TO BE. >> I’M NOT TRYING TO TAKE AWAY FROM WHAT YOUR GOVERNMENT HAS DONE SO FAR BUT I THINK IF I PUT MYSELF IN THE MINDS OF PEOPLE LISTENING, WE DONE ALL THIS

STUFF, WE ARE GOING TO REPEAT WHAT WORKS AND IT’S GOING TO CREATE AND MAKE A DENT IN THE PROBLEM THAT PEOPLE ARE FACING. AS YOU’VE BEEN DOING THAT, THE PROBLEM HAS BECOME WORSE. IT HAS FAR EXCEEDED ANY SOLUTION THAT HAS BEEN PUT FORWARD BY ANY PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT. RIGHT NOW, TO PEOPLE WHO MAKE

MINIMUM WAGE IN VANCOUVER CANNOT COME CLOSE TO BEING ABLE TO RENT AN APARTMENT. THE AVERAGE RENT IS $3000. HOW WILL 1100 UNITS CHANGE THAT AND WILL YOU ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING THAT DOES CHANGE THAT? >> TO PUT IT INTO PERSPECTIVE, THAT IS ONE EXAMPLE OF ONE ANNOUNCEMENT.

17 PERCENT OF THE RENTAL UNITS BEING PUT UP IN CUBA RIGHT NOW ARE BENEFITING FEDERAL SUPPORT. THE REALITY IS THAT THERE’S A SHIFT IN THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM THAT EXISTS TODAY COMPARED TO A FEW YEARS AGO. THIS IS AN AREA WHERE PEOPLE AT EXPECT AND WILL SEE MORE BECAUSE

WHEN THE NATIONAL HOUSING STRATEGY WAS FIRST LAUNCHED, IT WAS RESPONDING TO DECADES OF INACTION BY FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS ON BUILDING OUT SOCIAL HOUSING FOR LOW INCOME FAMILIES THAT COULD NEVER AFFORD A PLACE IN THE MARKET. I’VE SEEN MORE AND MORE PEOPLE WHO MIGHT EVEN HAVE A JOB OR TWO PEOPLE WORKING IN HOUSEHOLD TO

YOUR POINT ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE EARNING MINIMUM WAGE IN VANCOUVER, NOT EVEN MINIMUM WAGE. PEOPLE WORKING PROFESSIONAL JOB STILL CAN’T MANAGE THE MONTHLY PAYMENT FOR RENT OR TO BUY A PLACE. AS THE PROBLEM HAS SHIFTED TO INCLUDING PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO GET INTO THE MARKET I HAVING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT…

THIS IS A DIRECTIONAL SHIFT THAT I HOPE TO ACHIEVE WITH MY TIME IN OFFICE. SPEAK TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE ABLE TO AFFORD PLACE IF IT EXISTS. >> IT’S NEW BUT IT’S NOT NEW. IT’S BEEN AROUND FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. YOU COULD ARGUE THAT A LOT OF

PEOPLE HAD TROUBLE AFFORDING A HOME PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC. I WANT TO ASK YOU SOMETHING THAT EXPLODED OVER THE PAST COUPLE DAYS. THE POSSIBILITY OF CAPPING THE NUMBER OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS YOU WERE PREVIOUSLY SERVING AS IMMIGRATION MINISTER. I LISTEN TO A PODCAST A FEW MONTHS BACK IN WHICH YOU SAID

YOU DIDN’T THINK YOU HAD… WHAT’S CHANGED? >> THERE ARE DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONAL CONSTRAINTS. IT’S UP TO US TO DEMONSTRATE LEADERSHIP AND HOW WE CAN ACHIEVE THESE ENDS EVEN WHEN IT DOESN’T… THE JURISDICTIONAL CHALLENGE RELATES TO THE FACT THAT PROVINCES GET DESIGNATED LEARNING INSTITUTES, WHICH SCHOOLS CAN BENEFIT FROM THE PROGRAM.

THAT’S NOT A GOOD DECISION THE GOVERNMENT CAN TAKE. IT’S REALLY INCREASED RAPIDLY IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, WE SAW THREE AND FOUR YEARS AGO, WE DO OWE IT TO INSTITUTIONS TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT MEASURES WE CAN IMPLEMENT THAT WILL MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE WELCOME STUDENTS, WE MAKE SURE

THEY ARE SUPPORTED. THE INTERNATIONAL STUDENT PROGRAM IS EXTRAORDINARY. IT CONTRIBUTES TENS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO OUR GDP AND PROVIDES A PIPELINE OF YOUNG AND TALENTED PEOPLE WHO WILL BE CANADIAN ONE DAY. WHAT WE’VE SEEN A CERTAIN PRIVATE COLLEGES ARE ABUSING THE PROGRAM. THEY’RE BRINGING PEOPLE IN, NOT SUPPORTING THEM, NOT PROVIDING

HOUSING — HOUSING OPTIONS WE HAVE TO MANAGE GROWTH WHEN IT COMES TO STUDENT PROGRAMS MORE EFFECTIVELY THAN IMMIGRATION MORE GENERALLY BECAUSE WHAT WE SEE IS PEOPLE ARRIVING IN CONCENTRATED COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL RESIDENTS DESERVE TO SEE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT… MAKE SURE WE DON’T — CAN WELCOME PEOPLE WHO WILL GENERATE POPULATION GROWTH, ECONOMIC

GROWTH AND MAKE THE COMMUNITY MORE VIBRANT. I THINK THERE’S CONVERSATIONS I’VE HAD ON A RANGE OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS BUT THE MINISTER. WE’RE LOOKING AT BETTER WAYS TO PARTNER WITH INSTITUTIONS BUT I DON’T THINK WE SHOULD BE AFRAID TO TALK OPENLY ABOUT THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS BIOT TO CONSIDER. CANADIANS WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO

SEE THEMSELVES IN THE HOUSING MARKET DESERVE TO KNOW THAT WE ARE LOOKING UNDER EVERY STONE FOR SOLUTIONS THAT EXIST. >> WE’LL THERE BE A FORMALIZED PLANT FOR HOUSING PUT ON THE TABLE?

CTV’s Chief Political Correspondent Vassy Kapelos speaks with Housing Minister Sean Fraser about the housing supply crisis in Canada.

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