Peterborough-Kawartha MP Michelle Ferreri addressed Peterborough city council for the first time since she was elected during the virtual general committee meeting on Monday night (April 11), with most of the discussion involving housing.
“Thank you so much for having me everyone,” Ferreri said. “Finally, nice to be here — it only took, what, seven months?”
Ferreri, who is at her constituency office this week, attended council for 45 minutes to provide an update on her activities as federal MP and to answer questions from councillors.
Ferreri began by speaking about her focus on increasing housing supply, decreasing wait times, and supporting municipalities.
“As many of you know, I’m in opposition so I’m not making the decisions, but trying to work alongside government to help them make the best decisions, so that obviously places like Peterborough-Kawartha can have more housing and in turn help with the homeless crisis,” she said.
Ferreri also mentioned mental health and the opioid crisis — “the other key thing that I’m working on” — and described her recent trip to Vancouver where she visited a consumption treatment site and a mental health facility for youth.
In her role as shadow minister for tourism, Ferreri said she is “working hard” to help the local tourism industry recover, but provided no details.
After Ferreri invited questions, councillor Lesley Parnell asked Ferreri what she had been able to do to secure federal funding for affordable housing in the city.
“In my experience, a lot of this is at the municipal level in terms of the red tape in sort of the planning process. On our end, obviously I’m working across party lines to do this but I think there’s going to have to be a big shift in how the money is funnelled down to the municipality, and that’s what we’re working at — to open that up. Right now the biggest feedback I hear from builders — the timeline, the permits, the money.”
Referring to the planned new sports complex at Morrow Park, Parnell then asked Ferreri whether she is able to work with the federal government and MPP Dave Smith to “come up with some recreational subsidies for us.”
“Definitely working on the federal side, that’s for sure,” Ferreri said. “Hopefully we’ll have more updates for you guys in the coming weeks and months on that. But absolutely on my radar, and (I’m) working with the minister.”
Parnell also asked about whether Ferreri is working with the province on getting a detox and rehabilitation centre for Peterborough.
“I’m met with (federal) minister of mental health (and addictions) Carolyn Bennett to make sure that we are on the radar and whatever I can do to make sure that Peterborough-Kawartha gets what it needs,” Ferreri said.
In response to another question from Parnell, Ferreri said she supported the proposed “system navigator” position with the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA), which would help people experiencing homelessness. (Editor’s note: Later on in the general committee meeting, council voted to allocate $160,000 for the position over the next three years, despite a staff recommendation against it because it would duplicate work done by city social services staff and other agencies.)
Councillor Dean Pappas asked Ferreri for her support in securing funding for crisis management teams to help with the opioid crisis.
“I wish I could tell you I have funding secured and I could write you a big fat cheque right now, but the conversation is happening,” Ferreri said. “Again, I opened up that relationship with Minister Bennett as soon as she was announced (as) minister of mental health.”
Councillor Keith Riel asked Ferreri whether she could help the city in “getting our hands on any of that money” from the federal budget announcement of $10 billion for rapid housing.
“I’d like to say yes — I’m not going to say yes, because I’m not going to make promises,” she said. “I don’t know. What we really need to do is we really need to empower the municipalities.”
Riel asked Ferreri why she hasn’t reached out to either him or to councillor Henry Clarke, as the chairs of housing for the city and also the chair and co-chair of Peterborough Housing Corp, to discuss housing.
“I would tell you that works both ways, Keith — I haven’t heard anything from you either,” she replied, offering to book some time with him “in the next week or two.”
Riel then asked Ferreri about what she will be doing to help the tourism industry recover in the city and county.
“In order for us to restore this industry, we have to restore travel confidence,” she replied. “We have to say we’re open, safely, for business … I will continue to advocate for tourism.”
Riel also asked Ferreri about bringing jobs to Peterborough.
“We need to make Peterborough a destination for people,” she said. “It needs to be easy to get here, it needs to be easy to get around, and we need houses that you can afford to live in to work here as well
Councillor Kim Zippel asked Ferreri how she is supporting the city’s declaration of a climate emergency and its target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45 per cent by 2030.
“I think it’s about listening,” Ferreri said. “What do you need and where is my role on the federal level to best support you? That’s the easiest way for me to answer that right now.”
Councillor Kemi Akapo asked Ferreri whether she could describe any “tangible results” from her meetings about housing.
“Money is fine, but it has to be targeted, it has to have a plan, it has to be well utilized,” Ferreri said. “It can’t be just kind of flown out there with no plan or strategy. So I think we’re really just putting that pressure on to make sure that there is a clear strategy, because we have to open up supply so those most vulnerable as well are off the streets.”
Akapo asked about the housing task force and when it will be providing some “tangible solutions” for communities.
“I’m trying to be mindful to not get too partisan,” Ferreri replied. “It’s a challenge not to, I’ll be honest with you, because when we’re standing in the House of Commons and we’re having meetings with the housing minister, there is this narrative that all these houses have been built and that their programming is working, and it’s not.”
Ferreri then raised concerns about fees and taxes a young couple had to pay to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).
Akapo also asked Ferreri about whether she had any updates on the status of passenger rail service to Peterborough.
“There’s no real further update on when, other than what’s been put out,” Ferreri said. “But it is a priority is what I’ve been told.”
(Editor’s note: in March, the federal government announced it was inviting the private sector to formally express their interest in partnering with the federal government to build the high frequency rail project, with construction expected to begin in the mid-2020s and the service fully operational in the early 2030s.)
Councillor Henry Clarke asked Ferreri whether she’s had a chance to “find out where the pots of gold are buried” for federal capital infrastructure funding for municipalities.
“I don’t have a pot of gold — I wish I did — nor do I have the map of where it is as of yet,” she replied. “That being said, (I’m) continuing to work with parties across all lines to figure out how we open up to access to capital.”
Councillor Parnell asked Ferreri what the solution is to the housing crisis, stating “You can’t just be partisan and blame the government.”
“I would tell you to vote for a Conservative government, would be my short answer,” Ferreri said. “What they’re doing, it’s not working, and so I don’t know what else to say to you other than that. The fact is that you can’t keep printing money and expect inflation to continue to grow and then expect the cost of housing to go down. You can’t expect to just continue to have the red tape for municipalities.”
Parnell then asked Ferreri what she would do differently if she were in government.
“You have to open up supply — there’s not enough supply,” Ferreri said. “So it’s a very simple equation because there’s not enough. So if I go to the grocery store, and there’s only three grapes, and 10,000 people need a grape, the cost of the grape is going to go up. So let’s replace grapes with houses. We need more housing.”
“So your answer would be to help us build more housing with federal funds?” Parnell asked.
“It’s not always about money,” Ferreri replied. “There’s lots of people who are there able to build right now. I have four or five builders on my phone right now that could put up 10, 20, 30 houses right now, but they are restricted by the red tape, the permits, the planning, the costs … It’s not always about spending money, it’s where the money is being directed.”
Parnell also asked whether Ferreri had any information about where the proposed high frequency rail corridor would go through the Peterborough area, as the city has not accommodated that in its transportation master plan.
“I cannot speak to it, but it is a great question and I’m open to discussing it further,” Ferreri said.
Councillor Akapo asked Ferreri for how she plans to advocate for funds for the Peterborough area for the new dental care program announced in the federal budget.
“I would be amiss if I told you I was well versed in this as of yet, and I’m not,” Ferreri admitted. “I’m open to have that conversation and follow up with you thereafter. I’m been a long-time advocate for making sure people have access to dental care.”
Mayor Diane Therrien asked Ferreri for a “specific example of the red tape that we need to deal with at the municipality,” as well as examples in the planning or permitting process.
“Delays are probably one of the biggest things I’ve heard … just the delay to get a permit is what some are calling red tape,” Ferreri replied.
Therrien also asked Ferreri about her opinion on closing tax loopholes for wealthy Canadians. Ferreri replied that she couldn’t speak on that issue, but agreed in principle.
