Ford pads housing numbers to hide failure to build housing in the North: NDP

QUEEN'S PARK — Official Opposition Deputy Leader Sol Mamakwa and Sudbury MPP Jamie West are calling out the Ford government's failure to address the lack of affordable housing in northern Ontario. Leaders across the North have criticized the conservatives for doing nothing substantial to alleviate the housing crisis while padding the housing numbers by including long-term care beds.

"Ford's lack of housing strategy is failing the people of Northern Ontario," said West. "Families want affordable brick-and-mortar houses and apartments, not accounting tricks to fudge that data. The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) doesn’t count housing as anything without its own entrance, kitchen and bathroom. Still somehow, in Sudbury, LTC beds are now counted as 36 percent of the Conservatives 2023 housing target? It’s even more laughable in North Bay where the LTC beds make up nearly 80 percent of their housing targets.”

Sudbury and North Bay surpassed their 2023 housing targets by 156 and 277 percent, respectively, after Ford introduced an incentive program to include LTC beds last fall. Without this change, neither city would have come close to meeting its housing goals. In Sudbury, LTC beds made up 36 percent of the 2023 housing target, while in North Bay, the proportion was nearly 80 percent.

"Ford is trying to sidestep his responsibility," added Mamakwa. “If we're going to label beds as homes, let's raise the housing targets for truly affordable housing. He is deceiving the public by inflating the numbers instead of genuinely helping Ontarians.

"Northern Ontario needs diverse housing solutions, such as single-room occupancy, small housing options, and multi-family units. Right now, Ford is not providing that - instead, he's subjecting us to legislation tailored for Toronto. It's time for the Conservatives to step up and provide the necessary support to Northern municipalities for housing development.”