Mathyssen says Liberals need to make good on housing promises in federal budget

London Fanshawe MP Lindsay Mathyssen (NDP) is seen in London, Ont.'s Victoria Park on April 27, 2024. (Bryan Bicknell/CTV News London)

While the federal NDP said it has not decided whether it will support the Liberals’ federal budget tabled last week, London Fanshawe New Democrat MP Lindsay Mathyssen said the party needs to see more.

Mathyssen told CTV News London Saturday that NDP leader Jagmeet Singh has been meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in hopes of conveying what the party needs to see.

“We’re certainly happy with some aspects of it,” said Mathyssen. “There’s money for pharmacare in there, there’s money for dental care, there are the things that we’ve been pushing that will help Canadians with a lot of the costs that they’re facing, but we need to see more.”

The federal government unveiled its 2024 budget on April 16, which included major plans to boost new housing stock.

According to the budget, the government wants to build 3.9 million new homes by 2031, using a string of measures with spending spread out over the next several years.

Mathyssen issued a note of caution when speaking about future housing commitments, including that a Pierre Poilievre Conservative government would not be willing to support such measures.

“I too am worried about what might happen after the next election,” said Mathyssen. “There are parties that don’t believe that housing needs to be a government issue. They’d rather leave it to the market, but that cannot be the case.”

The Liberals also announced dollar amounts for their long-promised Canada Disability Benefit: $6.1 billion over six years and $1.4 billion ongoing.

Mathyssen said the NDP has made it clear to the Liberal government that they expect the disability benefit to be increased “because no one should be living in poverty, and we know that people who live with disabilities are really significantly impacted.”

The New Democrats have an agreement in place to support the Liberal government on confidence and budgetary votes in exchange for movement on key policy priorities.