Stéphane Boyer joins mayors saying homelessness must be tackled

Laval’s mayor was at Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ annual conference

Laval Mayor Stéphane Boyer agrees with mayors across Canada that homelessness in cities has reached crisis proportions. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)

Politicians from across Canada, including the City of Laval, spent a recent weekend in Regina, Sask. as they looked to plan a post-COVID future for the country.

Among many of the elected officials, homelessness and housing affordability appeared to be the central topic up for discussion during the Federation of Canadian Municipalities 2022 annual conference.

A housing crisis

Halifax Mayor Mike Savage, who chairs the FCM’s big city mayors’ caucus, was joined by Laval mayor Stéphane Boyer and by Regina mayor Sandra Masters. The three stressed that it’s important to start increasing the supply of affordable homes in an attempt to address the ongoing housing crisis.

Discussions about bringing all three levels of government together to tackle the housing problem took place between municipal officials and Dominic LeBlanc, Canada’s minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities.