Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s housing plan defeated in House of Commons

OTTAWA – Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s housing bill has been defeated in the House of Commons with the Liberals, New Democrats and Bloc Québécois voting against the legislation.

Poilievre introduced the bill in September and touted it as the Conservative plan to tackle the country’s housing crisis.

Poilievre’s focus on housing affordability has helped grow his party’s support in public opinion polls, earning the Conservatives a sizeable lead over the Liberals.

The bill’s central proposal was to require cities to increase home building by 15 per cent each year to receive their usual infrastructure spending.

Cities that failed to meet that target would have sees a decrease in the federal dollars they received, while those that exceeded it would have gotten additional money.

The bill was defeated 203 to 117 in a second-reading vote.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2024.