FALL RIVER: Braedon Clark is taking steps to help young Canadians facing the housing crisis.
The Sackville-Bedford-Preston MP has introduced a private member’s bill in Ottawa that would create a national housing strategy for young Canadians.
“We all know there’s an obvious housing crisis in the country, and the group that’s affected the most by that is young people,” the MP said during a coffee interview at Good Day Café in Fall River on Friday morning.
“Whether it’s rent, finding a place to live when you’re a student, or saving for a first house, they’re the ones having the biggest issues.”
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The strategy is designed to address the unique challenges young Canadians are facing in today’s housing market and positions the federal government to take a leading role in building practical, lasting solutions with partners across the country.
The path to housing has become increasingly difficult for young Canadians.
Without secure housing, it’s harder for young people to study, work, and plan their futures.
These challenges ripple across the economy and affect all Canadians.
The strategy will cover a broad range of housing needs for young Canadians, including rental apartments, student housing, co-operatives, and entry-level homeownership.
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The bill is not the MP’s first attempt.
A similar proposal was put forward in the Nova Scotia Legislature about three years ago but did not have enough support to pass.
This time, luck played a role.
Private members who are not cabinet ministers are placed into a lottery, with only the first 30 drawn getting the chance to bring forward their bills.
Out of about 300, the MP drew number eight.
“It’s been really cool working with groups like Generation Squeeze out of UBC, the Affordable Housing Association here in Nova Scotia, and many others in developing it,” Clark explained.
If passed, the legislation would also require the minister responsible to report back to the House of Commons every two years on progress.
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The MP said they are working to build support across party lines.
“We’re in a minority, so I need to sit down with the Conservative, NDP, and Bloc critics and try to get their support,” Clark said.
“I hope this can be seen as a relatively non-partisan issue. Housing is something that’s important to all Canadians.”
The private member’s bill is expected to be debated in the coming months.
It connects with the federal government’s Build Canada Homes initiative, announced last week, which includes 4,000 new units across six projects. One of those projects is in Shannon Park, near the MP’s riding.
“This works well with the bill I’ve put forward,” the MP said.
“We want to make sure that when these non-market, affordable housing units are built, young people are prioritized so they have a foot in the door.”
