4. Implement a housing benefit – a new program to assist those who face a severe affordability problem in their current accommodation

The Liberals have not announced any plans for a Housing Benefit. However, the first and second stories do address affordability issues. In their housing election platform, the Liberals do indicate their intent to assist Canadians to purchase homes and to use RRSPs without penalty to buy a house for those impacted by a variety of life circumstances (not just first time home buyers). 

5. Create an affordable housing tax credit

The third story of the Liberal housing framework  includes incentives for developers to build private housing that is affordable. In the election platform, the Liberals specify their intentions to eliminate “all GST on new capital investments in affordable rental housing. This will end the tax penalty on developers interested in building new, modestly priced rental properties, as well as provide $125 million per year in tax incentives to increase and substantially renovate the supply of rental housing across Canada”.

6. Review and expand investment in Aboriginal housing both on and off reserve

MP Vaughan explains that partnerships with Aboriginal communities will address a variety of housing needs and issues including on-reserve/traditional territory and off-reserve/traditional territory housing programs. In particular, he said that Aboriginal housing development will not be restricted to a specific geographic area so that communities where there is a high number of homeless Aboriginal Peoples may partner with housing providers from, as an example, a nearby reserve.