Jessica Bell MPP, University–Rosedale

Government of Ontario

Provinces housing starts hit lows amidst crisis; NDP says Ford’s Conservatives missing the mark

Published on January 17, 2024

QUEEN’S PARK – Official Opposition NDP Housing critic Jessica Bell (University – Rosedale) and critic for Municipal Affairs Jeff Burch (Niagara Centre) are calling on Ford’s Conservatives to stop wasting time with their corrupt and failing policies and get to work on solutions following reports of housing starts doing down—not up—in 2023.  

“Ford and his Conservative government have wasted a year pursuing corrupt backroom deals to cynically exploit the housing crisis for their own political gain,” said Bell. “Now, we see that while the government was busy being in damage control, they failed to meet their own housing targets and deliver any real solutions for Ontarians amidst a growing housing crisis.” 

Burch added “the Conservatives put municipalities in a frenzy across the province through flip-flopping policy changes that did not reflect people’s housing needs or regions’ growth strategies simply so that a select few land speculators could get richer. Now, municipalities are left trying to re-do the work that Ford’s policies have undone. The Conservatives’ corruption is leaving Ontarians without hope for a better housing future.” 

Marit Stiles’ Ontario NDP has proposed solution after solution to solve the housing crisis in Ontario, and Ford’s Conservatives have voted NO every single time. 

QUICK FACTS 

  • Housing starts have gone up in British Columbia, where the provincial NDP government has implemented practical and effective housing solutions that boosted both non-market and market housing supply. 

  • Ford’s Conservatives, on the other hand, have wasted over a year with their corrupt backroom deals and schemes to favour well-connected speculators. 

  • Crombie’s Liberals won’t build more housing, either—according to one Liberal, they have “a leader who has a track record of failing to build homes.”