Housing debate: concrete and rapid measures to face the housing crisis

Montreal, September 13, 2022 – Today was the day of the election debate on current housing issues, organized by l’Association de la construction du Québec (ACQ), l’Association des professionnels de la construction et de l’habitation du Québec (APCHQ), l’Association professionnelle des courtiers immobiliers du Québec (APCIQ), the Corporation des propriétaires immobiliers du Québec (CORPIQ), l’Institut de développement urbain du Québec (IDU), and the Regroupement des gestionnaires et copropriétaires du Québec (RGCQ), in which the five political parties represented in the National Assembly participated.

On this occasion, Mathieu Dion, Montreal Bureau Chief at Bloomberg, led the exchanges which proved to be fruitful and instructive for the various leaders of the housing sector. The organizers of the event thanked the various candidates for their contribution to this democratic exercise. All the political parties present at this debate recognized the urgency to act in to solve the housing crisis in Quebec. Although their proposals to achieve this are different, they all recognize the importance of finding a better balance in the housing market and greater access to property.

For the partners of the housing sector, organizers of the event, Quebec is currently experiencing a housing crisis in several cities and regions of Quebec. Moreover, a study by the APCHQ evaluates that Quebec is facing a deficit of some 100,000 units (private, rental and social). The need to rapidly increase supply to improve affordability was also demonstrated in a recent Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) study that estimated the need for 620,000 units by 2030 to get back on the path to affordability.

 

Solutions put forward to address the housing crisis

Candidates have recognized the housing challenges, but the issue will require more than the vision expressed to date. The supply of housing must increase significantly, as must funding for inclusive housing to meet the national and local targets that will be adopted. The five convenors of the debate also agree that the climate crisis must be factored into the means to double the rate of production of new housing units. More units must be created in socially and functionally mixed neighbourhoods, thus reducing the use of the automobile. We hope that the next government will hear this call.

 

An affordable housing strategy

It should also be noted that Quebec is at a crossroads in terms of housing: the housing stock that was until recently affordable may no longer be affordable if no strategy is put in place. The need for affordable housing is still high and many projects are facing funding challenges.

In this regard, the partners have made a case for reinvestment in social and affordable housing and are obviously calling on governments to act quickly if they wish to address the housing crisis. There are currently more than 35,000 people waiting for social housing in Quebec and governments have a responsibility towards the most vulnerable households.

 

A complex issue that requires several interventions

The partners of the housing sector recognize the problem of the housing supply deficit and consider it imperative that a set of measures in favour of an acceleration of housing starts be put forward as soon as possible.

The challenges are numerous, particularly in terms of the availability of manpower, but also concerning the easing of project approval processes and urban planning adapted to the situation, especially in a context of climate crisis. In this sense, all the partners hope that the next government will make housing its priority and quickly organize the Estates General on Housing (États généraux sur l'habitation) with all of the stakeholders concerned, in order to move towards a true concerted strategy that would set ambitious objectives and concrete means to alleviate the housing shortage, while always being mindful of the climate challenges we face.

Finally, they wish to thank all the participants to this event and remind that the organizing partners of the event, make themselves available to the next government to contribute to the future reflections in the housing sector.