The President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), Joanne Vanderheyden, delivered the following speech at the opening of the 2022 National Housing Supply Summit, hosted by the Government of Canada, in collaboration with FCM:
“I’m honored to be with you today, and to be here as the President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. I’m also proud to serve as the mayor of Strathroy-Caradoc. Located not too far from London, Ontario, my community straddles the line between urban and rural. And from our vantage point, there are few more important issues facing Canadians today than the cost of housing. That’s why we are all here, and that’s why FCM is so proud to be playing this role in helping to bring this important discussion to life. And I know our work here today will help create some important progress on this critical issue in the weeks and months ahead.
“Nobody knows better than municipal leaders that quality housing is the bedrock of safe, livable communities. Affordable housing options for Canadians from every walk of life is central to our country’s growth and health. It empowers people to thrive in communities of all sizes—as workers, entrepreneurs, families and neighbours. And it’s more important than ever before, with pressures on prices rising and Canada still emerging from the grips of a global pandemic that has left an imprint on our economy and Canadians themselves. And none of this will happen without the kind of partnership that today’s Summit really embodies.
“It starts with the kind of ground-level view that only municipal leaders can provide. We see what’s needed in our communities – where the challenges and the opportunities are. Then, working with our partners in the federal, provincial, and territorial governments, we must bring force and dedication to this challenge. It’s a question of supply, yes. It is also a question of looking for inclusive ways to grow that supply – to make sure that every Canadian has a safe place to call home. And it is not just government’s job.
“We’re going to hear from so many other leaders today: from the private sector, the not-for-profit sector, and more, who have a stake in this mission. FCM was proud to play a part in bringing the National Housing Strategy to life – a plan that continues to change lives across the country. And we believe there is more we can do, working together with the leaders in this virtual room.
“It starts with recognizing and building on the successes of programs like the Rapid Housing Initiative – a plan that municipal leaders pushed hard for as the effects of the pandemic weighed down upon the most vulnerable in our society. The RHI has found incredible success and now is the time to build on that success – because ending chronic homelessness is a goal shared by every order of government.
“Next, let’s get housing built faster by using the tools at our disposal. Next steps such as launching the Housing Accelerator Fund. This way, we can continue to drive progress on climate and equity goals—with attention to priorities like low-carbon intensification, transit-oriented development, inclusionary zoning and climate resilience. We know we need to move fast to protect modest-rent market housing, and protect more homes from renoviction.
“And finally, we cannot call any of this meaningful progress if it is not also meaningful for every community, whether a big city, a rural town, or an Indigenous community. An Indigenous Housing Strategy must be among our top priorities, and we know there exists the potential for tens of thousands of homes for Indigenous families. And rural, northern and remote communities face unique housing challenges, and local leaders bring the insight needed to tackle them. We’ll need to work together to ensure communities of all sizes have the right kind of housing supply, to support local economies and quality of life.
“I look forward to these meaningful conversations today. We have an incredible lineup of speakers, many of whom I’m proud to work with so often through FCM.”
For more information please contact:
FCM Media Relations, (613) 907-6395, media@fcm.ca