CREDIT: COURTESY OF PETER FRAGISKATOS
London MP Peter Fragiskatos has been appointed to work with Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities.

On Sept. 16, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed London North Centre MP Peter Fragiskatos as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, Sean Fraser. In his own words, there is a lot of work to be done because of a high demand for housing but limited supply.

“I’ll be helping Minister Fraser with the execution of his mandate, which he’s been given by the prime minister, to build more homes. And we can do that by partnering with the provinces, municipalities, private, and not-for-profit sectors,” explained Fragiskatos.

On the day of Fragiskatos’ appointment, Trudeau announced $74 million to build 2,000 homes in London. It was also announced that permits needed for construction to begin will be released and approved more efficiently and faster.


“We’re helping the city upgrade how it supports permitting so that we can avoid these long delays that often cause real challenges in building homes,” Fragiskatos said.

London is also trying to move towards a position allowing four units to build a single property instead of three. For MP Peter Fragiskatos, if there are more housing options, it will become much better for the individual searching for a home, whether a student or someone else.

According to the September 2023 Rentals.ca report, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in London is $1,800, and two bedrooms are $2,133.

“It’s just the law of supply and demand. It will be expensive when you have a very high demand and limited supply. But if you help to increase supply, that will help to bring down costs,” said Fragiskatos.

But it’s not just about the high rents.

The latest poll from the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) reveals that over half of post-secondary graduates of Ontario have incurred student debt or loans to finance their education. Among those who have incurred debt, 53 per cent are still repaying. For that reason, they have less possibility to buy a house.

“We know that so many people are working, have gone to school, have worked very hard, and still need help getting a mortgage because of the high-interest rates. So, to help them helps us deal with that challenge,” explained Fragiskatos.

Fraser has previously hinted that the Canadian government might look at capping the number of international students to ease the pressure on the housing market.

“I think that’s one of the options that we ought to consider,” Fraser said. “I think we need to do some serious thinking here.”

Fragiskatos said that most importantly, institutions should be making sure international students are able to live on campus.

“When it comes to international students, we must ensure that they are treated well and that there is a priority placed on ensuring that they are housed, preferably on campuses.”

According to a recent report by The Smart Prosperity Institute, it is recommended that colleges and universities collaborate with governments to construct additional residential facilities. Additionally, sharing their five-year enrollment plans with municipalities and the private sector could aid in better growth planning.

“A lot of folks say that there needs to be more homes provided to students on campus so that they aren’t forced to go off campus and search for a place to rent or buy them. I understand that argument, and I know post-secondary institutions are looking at that more. It’s not always easy for them to build on campus, but I think they should explore that where possible,” Fragiskatos said.

Fragiskatos said that both Western University and Fanshawe College do an excellent job of ensuring housing options on campus. But, “some examples of colleges are not making housing options available. And unfortunately, the student experience at such colleges hasn’t been solid,” Fragiskatos said.

Fragiskatos was first elected as the Member of Parliament for London North Centre in 2015, and he most recently served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue.