Ruby Sahota, Member of Parliament for Brampton North, is back in Parliament following a summer of engaging with residents and hearing their top concerns. Two prominent issues raised by the community include the need for more affordable mortgage options and a call for stronger measures to prevent abuse of Canada’s immigration and asylum programs.
In response, Sahota announced that the federal government is taking immediate action to address these concerns.
Affordable Housing Initiatives
To make housing more accessible for Canadians, the government is introducing significant changes to mortgage regulations:
- Extension of Mortgage Amortizations: All buyers of new homes will now have access to 30-year mortgage amortizations on secured mortgages, giving Canadians more manageable monthly payments.
- Increased Price Cap: The price cap for insured mortgages has been raised from $1 million to $1.5 million, reflecting the current real estate market and ensuring more homes are accessible to Canadians.
“We’re fast-tracking the construction of over 750,000 homes across the country and transforming underused public lands into new homes for Canadians,” said Sahota. “These steps will help more Canadians move closer to homeownership.”
Immigration and Asylum Program Reforms
To strengthen the integrity of Canada’s immigration and asylum systems, the government is introducing the following reforms:
- Reducing International Student Intake: The cap on international students for the 2025 intake will be reduced by 10%, aligning with immigration goals and addressing labour market needs.
- Post-Graduate Work Permits: New requirements for post-graduate work permits will ensure better alignment with Canada’s labour market demands.
- Stricter Rules on Spousal Work Permits: Tighter regulations will apply to spousal work permits for students and temporary workers to enhance the system’s accountability.
- Fraud Detection and System Integrity: Enhanced measures will empower immigration officers to detect fraudulent cases and fast-track asylum claim processing, deterring non-genuine applicants.
“These changes reflect our commitment to growing communities responsibly while upholding the integrity of our immigration system,” Sahota explained.
In addition, Sahota shared exciting news about the government’s efforts to cover the cost of diabetes medications and monitoring devices. The bill is currently under review in the Senate and is expected to receive Royal Assent soon.