The Prime Minister was visiting the Laurentians for an agricultural announcement, but as July 1st drew ever closer it was the housing crisis that took up a large part of his talks with journalists.
The housing crisis is primarily a lack of housing, Mr Legault reiterated several times, promising his government is working hard to speed up the construction of new homes in the province. We want to make sure it works. We want hammers, nails that sink in to have an enclosure.
However, the rise in house prices did not seem to worry the Prime Minister. “You have to understand that this is a consequence of the rising average salary,” said François Legault.
“It is certain that if wages in Quebec were 10 to 25% lower tomorrow morning, it would cause house prices to fall. The fact that wages are rising means that demand is strong and property prices are rising. »
– A quote from François Legault, Prime Minister of Quebec
For the Prime Minister, this is a negative consequence of economic well-being.
But on average people have more money to buy a house, he claimed in the same breath. The task now is to provide affordable housing to those who have not benefited from these salary increases.
When asked if he was optimistic about the fact that Quebec real estate prices are converging on those of Toronto and Vancouver, Mr. Legault reiterated the wealth underlying such a rise. I want us to join Ontario and even the United States. The more wages rise, the more house prices will rise, he said.
“I don’t want Quebec to stay poor so housing prices stay lower than Toronto or Vancouver. »
– A quote from François Legault
In defense of his minister
François Legault also wanted to defend his housing minister, France-Élaine Duranceau, who has come under heavy criticism in recent weeks.
The latest: Revelations by some media outlets that she conducted a real estate flip in the Rosemont neighborhood a few years ago, a legal but criticized practice of buying a building at a low price and getting it back on the market quickly, and doing so too a tenfold price .
Has his minister helped exacerbate the real estate crisis? “I don’t think so,” answered François Legault. The problem isn’t necessarily […] the speculation. That’s because Quebec is short of housing and we need to build more and faster.
His minister’s past as a real estate agent is a plus, the Prime Minister said. Their task is to develop affordable housing as quickly as possible. I think if there’s anyone who can make sure it’s built using creative methods, it’s her.