The provincial NDP continues to lobby for more affordable housing in Ontario.
Leader Marit Stiles’ plan proposes the construction of at least 250,000 new homes.
“We’ll do it by providing funding, low-cost financing and public land for nonprofit and co-op housing providers,” says Stiles.
“And we’ll create good, sustainable union jobs that support our economy. We need to bring affordable housing options to every community by legalizing fourplexes and increasing density around transit centers.”
The NDP also proposes an agency that would be responsible for overseeing and financing construction.
Housing critic Jessica Bell says there is plenty of public land that could be utilized.
“What we know is that the province has access to a lot of land. So do cities and so does the federal government. It’s time for us to use that land to build affordable housing because that’s the crisis that we’re facing today,” says Bell.
The Ford government has said it wanted to see 1.5 million new homes by 2031, with at least 100,000 every year.
Last week’s fall economic statement forecasts housing starts through to 2027 to fall well below that target.
