25.06.2025 | Written By: [[The Writer|Assantewa Heubi]] | Tags: #Housing #1940s #Build-Canada-Strong ## Part 1: What Does It Mean to Build Canada Strong? The recently reelected Liberal government's housing plan is known as [Build Canada Strong](https://liberal.ca/housing-plan/). This initiative is a timely commitment to solving the Canadian housing crisis. The beauty of the [Build Canada Strong](https://liberal.ca/housing-plan/) approach is that it's based on a model that's already been proven to be successful. The model in question just so happens to be Canada's 1940s approach to solving housing for [veterans](https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/memorials/canada/victory-housing-0) and war workers. This means that the federal government will be essentially redeploying Canada's 1940s [wartime housing](https://www.nfb.ca/film/wartime_housing/) policy. This was a practical solution that was incredibly popular during its heyday, and the end of it was mourned by many. It's often said that history operates in cycles, and when it comes to housing shortages—at least in Canada—perhaps that's true. For Canada, the 1940s was a time of rapid modernization and economic growth. This caused mass interprovincial migration and relocation. The population in many cities increased by as much as 10%. In addition to this, people were moving to formerly rural areas in order to work in wartime factories. The lean-tos and tents that were being built by workers were breeding grounds for a whole host of ills that ultimately negatively impacted factory output, aka production.  ## Affordable Housing Is Part of the Social Contract Another reason why the wartime housing initiative was necessary is that many of the returning soldiers were of family-forming age. These were people who were prepared to give the ultimate sacrifice in order to protect global peace, and upon returning home, they needed to be housed. They also had the right to start their own families. If someone who's given everything isn't able to access basic necessities in a dignified manner, then it means the social contract has been broken. What is the social contract? Well, it's what makes civil society work. The social contract is actually a very simple concept. It's the idea that in exchange for contributing to your country (as a tax-paying citizen or soldier), you will be able to live a simple and dignified life. It's therefore unacceptable that those who have gone to war and offered their lives in order to protect liberty are unable to afford a basic necessity such as housing. Canada is not officially at war; however, our social contract has been ravaged. Despite the fact that Canadians are working harder than ever, current generations have less access to basic necessities than those that came before. ## Why Is This a Problem? Our citizens are currently in a desperate situation: too many people have to choose between housing and food. Regular Canadians are having to ration medication, as well as other essential supplies, in order to keep a roof over their heads. The [Build Canada Strong](https://liberal.ca/housing-plan/) plan has the potential to fix all of this. It will transform our nation by allowing housing to return to its roots: a basic right, not a luxury-based commodity. As part of building Canada strong, Mark Carney has called for the creation of an entity known as [Build Canada Homes](https://liberal.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/292/2025/03/Mark-Carneys-Liberals-unveil-Canadas-most-ambitious-housing-plan-since-the-Second-World-War.pdf) or BCH. This new Crown corporation represents the first time in decades that the federal government has committed to solving the housing crisis at scale. This will be achieved through a judicious use of public-private partnerships, designed to maximize value for taxpayers. This will revitalize Canada; it will allow our communities and economy to grow. It will reduce inequity, human suffering, and defeat the specter of ever-growing destabilization born of a broken social contract.  ## What’s So Strange About Affordable Housing? Let's be honest: reasonable logic dictates that every person has the right to a decent living environment—preferably one that's reasonably priced and not a hazard to either health or safety. Couples shouldn't have to put off having children because they don't know where their growing family will live. Seniors should be able to spend their twilight years in comfort and dignity. Disabled Canadians should be able to live in community with as much independence as their condition and support network allows. The strength of the [Build Canada Strong](https://liberal.ca/housing-plan/) plan lies not only in the problem it solves now but in the opportunities it creates in the future. However, there are some hurdles—financial, logistical, and philosophical—that will need to be sorted out. We're still in the early days of this initiative. Because of this, there are many questions that have yet to be asked or answered. In fact, many people are still in the process of forming their own opinions on this policy and potential Crown corporation. Something that's difficult to do when there's relatively little data available and little to no media coverage designed to help people engage with the policy while it's still in development. This is problematic because the best time to make changes to policy is before it has been finalized. In fact, the easiest way to do this is simply by having constructive conversations with our fellow citizens. This is the time to reach out to our representatives, talk to our neighbors, and share or create content that inspires constructive dialogue. The [Build Canada Strong](https://liberal.ca/housing-plan/) policy is still in its early days; this means we, the people, still have an opportunity to shape it. I've written a series of articles that I hope will act as stepping stones to further conversations around this topic. >I'd like to end this series introduction by asking a simple question: **How do you think the Canadian housing shortage is impacting our economy?**[Click here to share your opinion securely and privately.](https://tally.so/r/3x18Jk) > [!example]- Bonus Content - Video (Click to Expand) >Below you'll find a video that covers information regarding Canada's housing crisis in more detail. It's one of many sources that I studied as part of writing this article series. As a reader, you might not necessarily find that you agree with all of the content within the video. I encourage you to take what resonates, make note of what doesn't, and question both. I found that I'm able to learn just as much from things I disagree with as those that I find myself aligned with. Anyway, I hope you enjoy. >