The federal election campaign is now in its second week.
Liberal leader Mark Carney unveiled his housing policy.
Carney says it will lead to the construction of half a million new homes each year.
“Homes you can afford to buy. Homes that are more sustainable and cost less to live in,” says Carney.
“Homes made right here with Canadian ingenuity, Canadian labour, Canadian products, including mass timber.”
Carney says the plan includes establishing a new agency to be known as Build Canada Homes.
“It will act as a developer on new affordable housing projects. It will catalyze a new housing industry. It will provide financing for affordable home builders,” says Carney.
Other components include reducing regulatory processes that slow construction, reintroducing tax incentives to builders and eliminating the GST for first-time buyers of homes worth one million dollars or less.
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre is committing to fast-tracking projects that benefit Canada’s energy sector.
“We need to be able to get our resources across Canada, bypassing America so we can trade more with each other and sell our resources to the world,” says Poilievre.
Poilievre says permits would be pre-authorized after consultations, including those with First Nations, and environmental research is complete.
“We would lock down the permits, and we would publish specifications and standards that companies have to meet so that they would do the projects in a responsible way that keeps everyone safe.”
Poilievre says he would also make them legally binding to prevent existing or future governments from changing their mind.
NDP leader Jagmeet Singh unveiled his strategy to combat climate change.
It includes cancelling the carbon tax and ensuring the country’s largest polluters contribute their fair share.
Singh also promises support for homeowners to help them reduce their energy costs.
“We would support low-income families with free upgrades, free retrofits to their homes and then the remaining would be loans and grants to help higher-income families,” says Singh.
“Our plan is to get 3.3 million homes retrofitted, lowering their costs, lowering their emissions, helping families out.”
The federal election takes place on April 28th.
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