In Seven Minutes, Nina shares her journey and highlights the testimonies she has presented to the Ontario Legislature—where speakers are limited to just seven minutes—to shed light on how and why the housing crisis has developed, as well as actionable solutions to correct it.
Publications
Seven Minutes, Nina Deeb shares her journey as a real estate broker and housing advocate, navigating the complex world of politics and policy-making in Ontario. From testifying at Queen’s Park to submitting written delegations on housing, Nina exposes the challenges of influencing government decisions that affect housing affordability and municipal funding. With personal anecdotes, insights into legislative processes, and a critical lens on regressive policies, this book sheds light on the fight for fair and effective housing solutions.
Seven Minutes is a compelling call to action for citizens to engage in shaping the future of housing.
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Bio
Nina Deeb is a seasoned real estate broker based in Cambridge, Ontario, with nearly 30 years of experience studying and addressing housing issues. Since moving to Cambridge with her family in 1978, Nina has been deeply connected to the community and committed to making a difference in the lives of its residents.
Her early career saw her meeting over a million people during a decade at Tim Hortons, where she worked in every position from hostess to manager. After attending Conestoga College in the 1990s, Nina transitioned into real estate, launching a successful career as a full-time realtor.
A perpetual student of real estate and housing, Nina completed real estate brokerage courses at OREA College and expanded her expertise with additional training in mortgage financing and consulting. Over the years, she has built extensive experience in corporate, brokerage, franchise, management, director, and business roles.
Beyond her work in real estate, Nina has been a regular delegate at Queen’s Park and at regional and municipal councils, contributing her voice to housing policies and legislative discussions. She is also a recognized writer and commentator on Canada’s housing crisis, with a focus on the legislative agendas that have shaped the issue.
Nina lives in Kitchener, Ontario, with her husband Sam and their family. She continues to serve clients as a dedicated real estate broker with Re/Max Twin City Realty in Cambridge.
This publication is the independent work of Nina Deeb and is not affiliated with Re/Max. It incorporates material from Hansard, the official record of Parliamentary debates and discussions, edited for brevity and clarity.
Advocacy
When a bill is brought before a council or committee, a hearing notice is issued, inviting witnesses to register if they wish to provide input on the legislation. The committee ultimately decides which individuals to invite. I frequently submit written delegations on housing-related matters because I have a solid understanding of the issues at hand and their impact on my clients and community.
Over the years, I’ve provided input on topics such as preventing municipalities from imposing a municipal land transfer tax, improving the Landlord and Tenant Board, reducing red tape, addressing property assessments, and many other pressing issues. My contributions have often been reflected in legislative discussions, showing that thoughtful advocacy can make a difference.
In 2016, my husband informed me that my trade organization had appointed a former PC leader as its CEO. This prompted me to pay closer attention to the association’s activities and political alignment. I noticed an increasing politicization of the organization, with high-ranking conservative figures such as Brian Mulroney, George W. Bush, Boris Johnson, and Doug Ford invited to speak at events. While opposition leaders were also occasionally included, the organization’s direction seemed to align more closely with the ruling government.
When the Ford government removed rent control for new units built after November 2018, I became deeply concerned. My trade organization’s CEO had been appointed to the Housing Affordability Task Force (HATF), a body whose recommendations significantly impacted housing policy. The public was not given the opportunity to respond to the HATF report, and when it came before Waterloo Region for “receipt and file,” I registered and testified against its findings.
I grew increasingly disillusioned as my industry cheered every decision the government made, even as housing production slowed and critical issues were ignored. The organization’s alignment with government slogans, rather than challenging harmful policies, solidified my decision to advocate independently.
I began appearing in person at Queen’s Park to speak on issues such as arbitrary fines imposed without hearings, excessive decision-making powers given to registrars, and the erosion of democratic processes. After witnessing the Ontario Real Estate Association’s testimony, I stopped relying on my trade organization for advocacy altogether.
One pivotal moment came with Bill 23, the “More Homes Built Faster Act,” introduced by Steve Clark. The bill disrupted municipal revenues and failed to address the housing crisis effectively. I testified at every level of the budget process, urging the province to allocate funding for housing and compensate municipalities for lost revenue caused by the bill.
The title of my book, Seven Minutes, was chosen by my husband and reflects the constraints placed on witnesses at Queen’s Park. Historically, witnesses were given ten minutes to present, followed by twenty minutes of committee questions. This was reduced to seven minutes for presentation, with three witnesses scheduled back-to-back and committee members selectively choosing whom to question. This change stifles citizen engagement and limits meaningful dialogue on critical issues.
Despite these challenges, I continue to testify because the changes being made are regressive, and it would be irresponsible to stay silent. I will keep showing up, advocating for housing solutions and holding policymakers accountable.