My parents moved to Canada from the Philippines in the mid 1970s. They worked hard to raise 3 daughters and saved enough to buy a home in the 1980s for $94,000. It was a cozy 3-bedroom single-detached house with a big backyard at Professor’s Lake in Brampton. I was 5 years old and still remember the smell of lumber when we visited the construction site. The City of Brampton was just 10 years old with a population of 150,000 people.
This immigrant spirit to do more with less, to work hard, and to overcome challenges can never be taken for granted. As a Councillor, part of my role is to share with you what’s happening now in Brampton at the municipal order of government in Canada. We face affordability challenges and all orders of government must work together to keep the Canadian dream from fading away. The pandemic exposed systemic issues in our economy and the inequitable allocation of resources to Brampton. Chronic underfunding over decades is directly linked to homelessness and mental health issues that many are facing and that affect all of us.
Engage with me in this article series and share your ideas about how we can solve the housing crisis and keep the immigrant dream alive.
