Party leaders promise to boost home building, help seniors and speed up resource project approvals [Video]

Federal party leaders unveiled a series of policies Monday that they said would boost housing construction, make life more affordable for seniors and speed up approvals for natural resource projects.

The Liberal proposals include a boost to the guaranteed income supplement (GIS) while lowering the minimum registered retirement income fund (RRIF) withdrawal to “help protect Canadian seniors and their Canadian retirement savings,” according to the party. 

Speaking in Victoria, Liberal Leader Mark Carney said U.S. President Donald Trump’s global trade war is “disrupting the global economy, global financial markets” and is “fundamentally reshaping the international trading system.” 

“Many Canadians are understandably worried about their jobs and their retirement savings,” Carney said Monday. “We will help to protect Canadians’ retirement savings from this market uncertainty.”

The Liberal plan would reduce the minimum amount that must be withdrawn from a RRIF by 25 per cent for one year to allow seniors more …