Canadians want to see a reduction in immigration numbers to address the housing crisis, according to research conducted by the Privy Council Office. “Temporarily lowering immigration rates to reduce housing demand” was an idea backed by nationwide focus groups conducted by a Toronto research firm.
The report, Continuous Qualitative Data Collection Of Canadians’ Views, was dated Oct. 13, reports Blacklock’s Reporter.
Trudeau takes no accountability for the housing crisis Canadians are dealing with, ignoring a reporter’s question about the Liberals’ eight years in power.
Instead, he blames “international issues,” like climate change, for young people’s struggles.https://t.co/dh39RL8IFZ pic.twitter.com/AjGvrfU0rI
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“Asked to identify the most significant challenges related to housing that needed to be addressed by the federal government, participants put forward a range of responses,” the PCO report said. “These included building more homes, providing greater assistance to first time homebuyers, lowering interest rates, temporarily reducing the rate of immigration as a way to alleviate demand for housing and banning real estate speculation.”
Blacklock’s notes the research was issued as part of an $814,741 contract with The Strategic Counsel. The firm also inquired Canadians’ views on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s proposed plans for housing.
The Trudeau Liberals have spent more money administering the Underused Housing Tax Act than they have collected, according to records from the Canada Revenue Agency.
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Poilievre described how the Liberals and their NDP allies have created “housing hell” in Canada, suggesting a Conservative government would withhold federal subsidies for municipalities that fail to increase new-home building permits by 15% per year.
The survey found respondents had mixed feelings about the Opposition leader’s plan.
Poilievre slams the Trudeau Liberals for creating Canada’s housing crisis as the country deals with record-high immigration.
Without explicitly calling for less immigration, Poilievre says we need to link “the number of homes built and the number of people we invite.” pic.twitter.com/unJUn6VF5x
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“While some believed there needed to be accountability for municipalities that did not prioritize addressing the housing needs of their residents, a similar number felt differently,” the report said, per Blacklock’s. “Among these participants it was felt that each municipality was dealing with its own unique challenges related to housing and that an increase in the housing supply might be difficult for some communities to achieve due to issues such as a lack of available land or environmental concerns.”
A Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation report released on Wednesday showed Canada’s six largest cities were building new homes at near-record levels last year. Experts cited by The Canadian Press suggested housing demands still exceed the current supplies, however.
