Liberal MP and leadership candidate Chrystia Freeland now says Canada must sharply reduce immigration quotas due to a national housing shortage, per Blacklock’s Reporter.
Freeland as finance minister had claimed record high immigration was essential to growth.
“As prime minister I will fight to end the housing crisis,” Freeland said Monday in a statement from her Liberal leadership campaign.
“I have a real plan to end the housing crisis.”
Freeland proposed to “tie the number of new immigrants to housing availability.” She provided no figures.
Cabinet let more than 1.9 million landed immigrants, foreign students and temporary foreign workers into Canada in 2023, according to the most available data.
Freeland at the time defended historically high quotas as economically necessary. “They are economic policies,” she said.
“I hope and I believe there is one very important thing all members of the House agree on: Immigration is important to Canada and Québec,” Freeland told the Commons.
“It is important to our economy. That is why our government believes in the strength of our immigration system.”
“Immigration is essential to our economy in Canada,” said Freeland.
“I hope all members in the House will work together to welcome immigrants to Canada and Québec. We need them.”
Cabinet at the time estimated Canada was short some 3.9 million new homes, a level of construction it said was necessary to restore affordability.
Freeland on Monday proposed measures to “cut municipal development charges to lower the cost of building homes,” “give renters credit for on-time rent payments” and “require municipalities to cut red tape.”
Freeland made no mention of past claims that cabinet would achieve its housing target.
“Our renewed focus is unlocking the door to the middle class for millions of young Canadians,” she told reporters April 12.
“In everything we do, we dedicate ourselves to making sure a better life is within reach for our younger generation because that is what you deserve.”
The target of 3.9 million new homes by 2031 would require unprecedented construction, at least 650,000 starts annually. Canada’s record for housing starts is 273,200 set in 1976.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation in a February 4 Housing Market Outlook said it expected construction to slow. “We expect housing starts to slow down,” it said.
Bob Dugan, chief economist for CMHC, in 2023 testimony at the Commons Finance Committee warned cabinet was unlikely to meet its target.
“It is a very ambitious goal,” testified Dugan.
“It is going to be difficult to attain. I don’t see how we will attain it with the current environment.”
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