François Legault has been criticized for arguing he didn’t want Quebec “remaining poor” so house prices would remain lower than elsewhere in Canada, and claims he was taken out of context.
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“You have to look at everything I said,” he said on entering the Council of Ministers on Wednesday, before clarifying his remarks.
“Demand for houses and housing is very high in Quebec, partly because of the sharp rise in wages,” he affirmed.
“What I also said is that there is a major housing shortage on the supply side,” Mr Legault continued. We all agree that there is a housing shortage and we are working very hard to reduce the delays in building more homes.
The prime minister then reiterated that next July 1, the government would ensure “that no Quebecer ends up on the streets”.
“It doesn’t mean we can find permanent housing for everyone. There is a lack of accommodation, but we will find temporary accommodation, it will be hotels or accommodation of any type, as we did last July 1,” he added.
Duranceau defends himself
In a different way, France-Élaine Duranceau, Minister for Housing, reacted to the opening of an investigation by the Commissioner for Ethics and Professional Conduct into a professional meeting with her friend and business partner Annie Lemieux.
As a shareholder in several real estate companies, Ms Lemieux had registered as a lobbyist shortly after taking office in order to intervene with the Minister for Housing.
Ms Duranceau assured that she would cooperate with the investigation, before recalling that she disclosed to the Commissioner everything she was required to disclose when she became Minister. “I have nothing to blame myself for,” she said.
She then claimed that her past in real estate was “an excellent thing,” which helped her in her duties as Minister for Housing.
“If you have a specific topic, ideally you have someone who is knowledgeable about that topic and who knows the players in the industry. I know real estate, I know developers, community groups, developers, brokers,” she said.
“I know the real estate sector, I understand how everything works and this will allow me to find creative solutions with the players in this field,” she added.
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