(Ottawa) The candidate in the race for the leadership of the Conservative Party Jean Charest proposes a real electric shock to accelerate the construction of new housing and facilitate access to property.
Posted at 5:00 a.m.
To tackle the housing crisis affecting all regions of the country, the federal government must take inventory of its approximately 37,000 properties, target excess land and put it up for sale to build affordable housing.
In a plan he will unveil on Wednesday, the former premier of Quebec will also propose linking federal investments in public transit infrastructure to housing densification, allowing investors to defer capital gains tax if the profits from the sale of rental units are invested in the construction of new units of the same type and to facilitate the issuance of electronic building permits by municipalities in order to reduce delays.
At the same time, Mr. Charest will propose allowing new home buyers to pay the federal portion of the HST over a period of five years and creating new immigration pathways for candidates with skills in the construction sector in the aim of increasing the skilled workforce.
national summit
Another interesting measure, he proposes the development of a housing strategy “for aboriginals and by aboriginals” that would be implemented by the aboriginal communities themselves.
And to ensure coordination of the efforts of the federal government, the provinces, the municipalities and the First Nations, Mr. Charest believes that a national summit on housing must be organized.
“Everyone puts their finger on the same issue. We have an inventory problem. We have to find ways to speed up the construction of housing,” indicated Mr. Charest in an interview with The Press.
One way to do this is to identify surplus properties that belong to the federal government and see which ones can be sold.
Jean Charest, candidate for the leadership of the Conservative Party
“The summit would also be interesting. This would allow us to take stock of this crisis. There are different levels of government that have different jurisdictions. […] You need a conductor who coordinates all of this and who is sensitive to the needs of all regions. The situation in New Brunswick is not the same as in Vancouver,” he added.
Mr. Charest is one of six candidates who have received the green light from the leadership race organizing committee to run for the leadership of the Conservative Party.
Also in the race are Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre, considered the current leader, and Ontario MPs Leslyn Lewis and Scott Aitchison. Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown and Ontario Independent MPP Roman Baber are the other candidates.
Since entering the race, Jean Charest has unveiled a series of policies affecting energy security, environmental protection, health care funding, domestic violence and military spending, among other things. .
The six candidates will cross swords during two debates organized by the party. The first, in English, will take place in Edmonton on May 11 and the second, in French, will take place in Laval on May 25. The next party leader will be elected on September 10.