Sweeping housing changes proposed, backed by significant investment
As housing prices and rental costs continue to rise across Canada, New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jagmeet Singh is making housing affordability central in his election campaign, vowing to address the crisis through bold federal action.
Singh announced a major initiative to build more than 100,000 rent-controlled homes over the next decade by utilizing available federal Crown land. He also committed to investing $1 billion over five years to acquire additional public land for housing development.
Singh made the announcement Monday in front of public land in Montreal that he says was shovel-ready in the last election in 2021. According to Singh, not a single home has been built on it.
Economic impacts
Beyond increasing the housing supply, Singh’s plan includes training 100,000 additional workers in skilled trades, ensuring that housing projects are built efficiently while creating jobs. He emphasized that project labour agreements would guarantee fair wages and benefits for workers involved in construction.
Addressing corporate influence
Singh has also called for stricter regulations on corporate landlords and real estate speculators, arguing that their influence has worsened affordability issues. He has proposed measures to crack down on predatory practices, including higher taxes on house-flipping and foreign investors who leave properties vacant.
“Jack Layton’s dream was New Democrats are not just the conscience of Parliament but we actually form government to make people’s lives better. We need to be in a position to make decisions that benefit everyday folks,” Singh told the campaign event in Montreal.
“To continue that dream, we have to win seats in Quebec. We have to win seats in Montreal.”
“More than half a million Quebecers get their dentist paid for because of the work of the NDP and Jagmeet Singh, so people know they are better off with a strong caucus of New Democrats,” said Alexandre Boulerice, the NDP’s only MP in Quebec.
Focus on urban centres
Singh’s campaign strategy includes targeting major urban centres where housing affordability has become a pressing concern. After leaving Montreal, he travelled to Toronto, where he made a stop in the newly redrawn riding of Taiaiako’n—Parkdale—High Park. The historically Liberal riding has been a key battleground, with the NDP hoping to gain ground.
“I want folks to know, wherever you are, whether it’s Toronto, Montreal, East Coast, West Coast, north or south, you are better off when you have a New Democrat fighting for you,” Singh said.
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