While waiting for a review of the targets, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon is calling for a freeze on temporary immigration to Quebec.
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The leader of the Parti Québécois launched an appeal to the Legault government, shortly before the start of the National Council of his political party, in Drummondville.
Concretely, Quebec should commit to not welcoming a greater number of foreign workers and students than the current number.
“Companies that already have temporary workers can extend the participation of these workers over time, but we say to the Quebec state: you cannot tell the federal government to reduce temporary immigration without looking into the matter yourself. your court what you do,” declared Paul St-Pierre Plamondon.
National Council delegates will look, over the weekend, at solutions to the housing crisis hitting Quebec.
But Paul St-Pierre Plamondon affirms that the government must also take into account the significant demand caused by the presence of some 560,000 temporary immigrants in the territory.
For the PQ leader, immigration is “the main factor” in the current housing crisis.
“Last year, we welcomed 238,000 new people to the region, while building around 30,000 homes. Do this every year, rent prices will increase, homelessness will increase, rents… everything. This is a structural and significant imbalance. No need for a doctorate in mathematics,” says Paul St-Pierre Plamondon.
Convert buildings
While awaiting the solutions proposed by the National Council, the PQ leader put forward four areas of intervention, including the conversion of unoccupied or under-occupied government and heritage buildings into housing.
“Because what people in the construction industry tell us is that when things are already built, it goes a lot faster to convert them than when there is absolutely nothing,” says Paul St- Pierre Plamondon.
Among these buildings that could be reconverted, the PQ leader cites churches, presbyteries and public service buildings made available by teleworking.