Article Summary
Greg Robertson, co-founder of Happy Planet organic juice company and former mayor of Vancouver, has been appointed as the new housing and infrastructure minister by Prime Minister Mark Carney. Robertson was part of the team that developed the Liberal government’s housing policy, which aims to reduce municipal costs and regulations to increase housing supply. He returns to politics after a hiatus, having won the Vancouver Fraserview-South Burnaby riding with 52% of the votes. However, Federal Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre criticizes Robertson’s record on housing, stating that house prices ballooned during his tenure as mayor, making Vancouver the most expensive housing market in North America.
What This Means for You
- The new housing minister has expertise in increasing housing supply, which could benefit Canadians looking to purchase a new home.
- Greg Robertson’s appointment could signal a renewed focus on affordable housing initiatives, as the Liberal government aims to double the rate of residential construction over the next decade to reach 500,000 homes per year.
- As the new housing minister, Robertson will need to address the concerns of the Federal Opposition Leader, who argues that Robertson’s previous record on housing has led to increased housing prices.
- The future of housing policy may depend on how Robertson and the Liberal government balance the need for increased housing supply with affordability concerns.
Original Post
The new housing and infrastructure minister – who co-founded the Happy Planet organic juice company before moving into politics in 2005 – is among 24 new faces in Carney’s Liberal cabinet unveiled Tuesday.
Carney says Robertson was on the team that developed his government’s housing policy, which will look at how Ottawa can help get municipal costs down and “regulation out of the way” so more houses can be built.
Robertson was mayor of Vancouver from 2008 to 2018, after previously serving as a member of the B.C. legislature for the provincial New Democrats.
He returns to politics after winning Vancouver Fraserview–South Burnaby for the Liberals with 52% of the votes.
Federal Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre says Robertson’s record on housing is that prices ballooned during his tenure as mayor, giving the city the most expensive housing prices in North America.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation data show that during Robertson’s time as mayor of the City of Vancouver, the average price of single-family and semi-detached homes rose 179% across the broader Metro Vancouver area.
Housing was a key platform point for Carney during the election, including a promise to double the rate of residential construction over the next decade to reach 500,000 homes per year.
“We’re going to have to change how we build. And a lot of that expertise, not exclusively, but a lot of it has actually been developed in British Columbia,” Carney said.
“Minister Robertson is very familiar with it. We’re going to incorporate that, but in a pan-Canadian strategy to really drive this.”
Robertson also becomes minister responsible for Pacific economic development.
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Key Terms
- Housing Policy
- Affordable Housing
- Housing Supply
- Minister of Housing
- Greg Robertson
- Mark Carney
- Housing Market
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