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Courtenay-Alberni MP Gord Johns says Budget 2023 misses mark on housing, drug crisis

Johns says response to toxic drug crisis must be scaled up
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Jagmeet Singh and Gord Johns were in Qualicum Beach on Jan. 24 for a roundtable of experts on seniors health care. (Peter McCully photo)

Courtenay - Alberni MP Gord Johns says the recently-passed federal budget “missed the mark” when it comes to affordable housing and the toxic drug crisis.

Johns was happy to see progress on the federal dental-care insurance program and the doubling of the GST rebate, but said more help is needed for many Canadians struggling to make ends meet.

“There’s still stuff we didn’t see and we’re disappointed,” he said. “It’s not an NDP budget, but we were able to use our power and leverage to get some really important and significant things for people.”

The federal government announced $59.5 billion of new spending on March 28, covering the next five years. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s budget has three main focuses: the clean economic transition, health care and cost-of-living relief.

Johns was glad to see a significant reduction of merchant fees for small businesses, which he says will add up to approximately $5 billion over five years.

“I’ve been working on that for seven and a half years,” he said. “That’s going to save on average a small business about 27 per cent a year on their merchant fees, their credit card merchant fees.”

Also positive for Johns was the investment in expanding access to dental care, which will soon cover Canadians under 18 years and Canadians living with disabilities.

READ MORE: Federal budget 2023 includes $59.5 billion in new spending, looks to increase revenue

“Our phone’s been ringing off the hook, especially from seniors and people living with disabilities who can’t wait to access the dental care, so we know how important it is,” he said.

Johns added the plan will provide cost savings by reducing dental emergencies significantly.

Budget 2023 includes an increase in funding for the toxic drug crisis response, but, “it’s not even close to enough that’s needed.”

Johns said the response needs to be scaled up by a lot — toxic drug-related deaths are the leading cause of unnatural death in Canada, he said, topping suicide, motor vehicle accidents and homicides combined.

“Really disappointing to not see housing and mental health — and an appropriate response to the toxic drug crisis — not roll out in this budget,” said Johns, NDP critic for mental health and addictions.

Johns would like to see a significant increase in non-market housing. He said just three per cent of Canada’s housing is non-market, compared to 10 per cent 30 years ago and 30 per cent in some European countries.

“Right now 3.2 million Canadians are living in some form of precarious or under-housed situation and it doesn’t have to be this way.”

With a file from the Canadian Press


kevin.forsyth@pqbnews.com

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