SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 14

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
December 9, 2021 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 14 - Dec/9/21
Ms. Bonita Zarrillo (Port Moody—Coquitlam, NDP)
  • Dec/9/21 3:54:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as someone who was on the ground for almost nine years in a municipality struggling with affordable housing, I wish we had seen this passion from the government when we saw money laundering, the lowest incomes, those with the most wealth taking advantage of housing to earn interest and the gentrification of family neighbourhoods. I want to ask a question about the rapid housing initiative. We know that under the initiative, many applications were denied. I wonder if the member can tell us how many of the rapid housing requests submitted by municipalities were denied. My colleague from Courtenay—Alberni had a community-sponsored one, and it was denied.
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Context: House Hansard - 14 - Dec/9/21
Ms. Bonita Zarrillo (Port Moody—Coquitlam, NDP)
  • Dec/9/21 4:08:27 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for the summary of the things being put forward by the Conservatives. I wanted to speak a little about using public assets for potential private development. This happened at the provincial level in my very own riding with schools. What were considered to be excess school sites were sold off, but then, when development came around, we needed to buy land again for schools, so it is in my mind that I would not want that to happen to public assets. My question is around the 15%. These are public assets, including public buildings and public real estate. Do the Conservatives support the idea that they should stay in the public's hands and that they should be social housing or subsidized federal housing?
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Context: House Hansard - 14 - Dec/9/21
Ms. Bonita Zarrillo (Port Moody—Coquitlam, NDP)
  • Dec/9/21 4:25:19 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it looks like we may have some common ground on partnerships and potential social housing opportunities. I would ask this again. Would the Conservatives consider an amendment to the 15%?That could be kept in public hands and used for social housing.
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Context: House Hansard - 14 - Dec/9/21
Ms. Bonita Zarrillo (Port Moody—Coquitlam, NDP)
  • Dec/9/21 4:39:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to start by thanking the hon. member for his defence of the municipalities and city councillors in this country. They have been tirelessly working to find ways to get housing on the ground, whether it is variances, density bonuses or housing affordability funds, because the federal government has not come forward with the funding that is needed. I thank him for those comments. I wanted to talk about the 15% again. In my riding of Port Moody—Coquitlam, we recently had a federal post office close down. It is an excellent building in an excellent location, walkable to parks and services and schools. I wonder how much real estate is available for this kind of redevelopment.
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Context: House Hansard - 14 - Dec/9/21
Ms. Bonita Zarrillo (Port Moody—Coquitlam, NDP)
  • Dec/9/21 4:54:59 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, my ears perked up when I heard about inclusive housing, so I thank the member for those comments. I have two amazing disability advocates in my area, who remind me often that the B.C. building code makes accessibility optional. They need protection in the national building code. I want to leave that comment with the member. I also want to touch on the purpose-built rental and the fact that it is not accessible to not-for-profit groups. Is the government aware of the limitations for not-for-profits and co-ops to access the rental construction financing imitative, because they need to bring collateral?
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Context: House Hansard - 14 - Dec/9/21
Ms. Bonita Zarrillo (Port Moody—Coquitlam, NDP)
  • Dec/9/21 6:07:32 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, one of the things I note, and some of my colleagues have also spoken about, is the need for not-for-profits, social housing and co-ops. I see that seems to have been forgotten or missed in this motion. Why were the social housing, the co-ops and the not-for-profit opportunities not included in the initial motion?
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