FEDERAL NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh on Thursday continued to talk to Canadians about his plan to help families find a home. With a virtual stop in Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, Singh heard from people who are unable to find a home they can afford in their communities.

While Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he recognizes the housing crisis, he acts as if there isn’t one and since his government has been in power, the housing crisis has only gotten worse for families, the federal NDP said.

“The housing crisis across Canada is hurting people and their ability to find a good home. From evictions to the lack of affordable homes, people are having to leave the communities they live and work in to find a place to live. And the pandemic has made things worse,” said Singh. “Justin Trudeau has been in power for six years and since then, housing prices have only gone up. He’s focused on protecting the profits of the ultra-rich, while Canadian families are struggling to find homes they can afford. New Democrats will keep fighting to help families find a place to live.”

The federal NDP said that under Trudeau, Canada’s house price to income ratio is the highest in the world – by a large margin. Since 2000, housing prices in Canada have risen the most in the world. The cost of housing has increased by 25.7% from last year in Kamloops and surrounding area.

To help families, Singh reiterated the NDP’s commitment to invest in building half a million homes across the country, implement a 20 percent tax for foreign buyers and put measures in place to tackle money laundering that increases real estate speculation and makes it harder for families to find a home they can afford. Unlike the Liberals, the NDP has the courage to make the ultra-rich pay their fair share to help pay for better homes, he said.

“The people who have been hardest hit by the pandemic are among those who are suffering the most from the housing crisis. And we’ve learned a lot about Justin Trudeau the last six years. He wants to look like he cares. But he says the right thing with no intention of doing it. And [Conservative Party Leader] Erin O’Toole hasn’t got a single benefit for Canadian families in the pandemic,” said NDP candidate for Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo Bill Sundhu.

“Justin Trudeau’s Liberals are standing by while the crisis worsens. If we really want to fight the housing crisis, we need massive actions and investments in the right places to help families in Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo.”

The federal NDP has also proposed that the federal government:

* Puts measures in place to tackle money laundering that increases real estate speculation.
* Stimulates the construction of co-op and non-profit social housing by establishing Quick Start Funds to streamline the application process and to help communities get the expertise and assistance they need to get their projects off the ground now.
* Encourages the construction of affordable housing by waiving the federal portion of the GST/HST on the construction of new affordable rental housing. This simple change will help build new housing faster and keep it affordable over the long term.
* Reintroduces 30-year CMHC-insured mortgages for first-time homebuyers. This will allow for lower monthly payments, leaving more money in the pockets of families to make ends meet.
* Helps people pay for closing costs by doubling the homebuyer’s tax credit to $1,500.