Barrie MP sees housing crisis up close during trip to Far North

Doug Shipley is back in Barrie after a whirlwind trip of Canada’s Far North last week.

The MP for Barrie-Springwater-Oro Medonte, who also serves as deputy shadow minister for Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, joined Matt Jeneroux (Shadow Minister for Housing and Diversity and Inclusion) last week to participate in several housing roundtables in Iqaluit, Nvt., and Yellowknife, N.W.T. 

“We had some fantastic meetings and met with some MLAs (Members of the Legislative Assembly), local mayors and councillors and learned about some of the issues up there,” Shipley said, adding issues impacting those communities weren't all that different to what is being faced here at home. “There’s definitely a lack of housing, but it was a tremendous learning experience as an MP. We always see and hear about the north — it’s an important part of Canada — and now I have a much better understanding of the north, what their needs are and their living conditions.”

Shipley says although the experience was eye-opening, many of the issues that were discussed did not come as a surprise.

“I would recommend that anybody who is an MP should (take) the opportunity to go up. It is an important part of Canada and it will affect the way we debate and discuss things in the House of Commons moving forward," he said. 

The cost of housing, along with the overall lack of available housing, were two of the biggest issues that were discussed, Shipley said.

“The jobs that are available right now in the north are unbelievable, (but) they can’t fill them because there is no place for people to live in these communities,” he said. “They also have a problem in Iqaluit… (where) they have good drinking water, but the capacity is maxed out right now. They can’t expand on having more people live there until the capacity of their water gets up.”

The cost of building housing in those communities is exorbitant, he added, due to the different environmental challenges they face. 

“The permafrost and the cost of bringing in materials to the north makes housing very expensive. It was a real eye-opener and a really excellent educational week and I am very glad I did it,” he said.

The experience, Shipley said, will definitely play a role with some of his decisions moving forward in parliament. 

“I am in parliament in Ottawa to represent Barrie-Springwater-Oro Medonte, but we make decisions on issues that affect all Canadians. Discussing things about the north, yes we can see it in movies and pictures… but until you’ve been there you really can’t (understand). It’s a different way of living,” he said.

“I talked with a lot of the local people and you get a better understanding of their needs and requirements and how they’re living and what they are looking for going forward.”