Kenora MP Eric Melillo (Adam Riley / Acadia Broadcasting)

Affordability and housing.

Those were the two main themes coming out of a Conservative caucus retreat in Quebec City over the weekend.

Kenora MP Eric Melillo says all Conservative ridings are seeing similar issues particularly in this region.

“We don’t have that same level of municipal bureaucracy necessarily, but we do have barriers whether its the higher construction costs, the shorter season for construction,” points out Melillo.

“All those factors are making it more difficult to build in the north and other rural areas.”

Melillo adds they had a number of experts speak on the issue, not just MP’s.

“Without revealing too much from caucus, we heard from some great leaders in the economics field and people in housing that were there to inform us of some of the issues and some of the questions we had.  So I think we had a really good discussions within our caucus, but some outside voices as well.”

Melillo says the caucus discussions will inform many of the issues they want to bring forward as the next sitting of Parliament begins next week.