By Canadian Press

Singh pledges $5,000 home rental subsidy to help up to 500,000 families

Sep 26, 2019 | 12:14 PM

CAMPBELL RIVER, B.C. — NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says, if elected, he would offer rent subsidies of up to $5,000 each to provide immediate help for families struggling to pay for housing. 

Speaking to reporters Thursday on British Columbia’s Vancouver Island, Singh repeated that a New Democrat government would build half-a-million new affordable houses across the country over the next decade.

But he said people need help right now, so the NDP is also promising to provide a rent subsidy for nearly 500,000 families.

“This will make the difference for families that are unable to pay their bills, for families that are making a tough choice between do they pay for their groceries or do they pay rent,” Singh said at a construction site in the community of Campbell River.

“These are difficult choices that families are making — far too difficult for far too many families — and we’ll put an end to that.”

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Singh said there’s a “massive” housing crisis across Canada and that it’s not just a problem in big cities. He stressed that it’s also a major concern in smaller communities such as Campbell River.

The New Democrats say 20 per cent of Canadians spend more than half of their incomes on rent and utilities.

In its platform, the NDP says it would build 500,000 quality, affordable housing units over the next 10 years — and it promises half of them will be constructed within five years. To get it done, the party intends to work with provinces and municipalities.

The plan, the NDP says, will begin with $5 billion in additional federal funding in the first 18 months. The effort will help create thousands of jobs across the country, the platform says.

Under the Liberals, the federal government introduced a national housing strategy. A report earlier this year from the parliamentary budget officer said that the national housing strategy would build 150,000 new affordable units, modernize 300,000 existing units and protect 385,000 community housing units.

Singh’s stop in Campbell River was one of several campaign events Thursday on Vancouver Island. He is also due to visit Courtenay, Parksville and Nanaimo.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 26, 2019.

The Canadian Press