Ontario has a new housing minister

Paul Calandra, who was named Ontario's new minister of municipal affairs and housing on Monday following the abrupt resignation of Steve Clark

Paul Calandra, who was named Ontario's new minister of municipal affairs and housing on Monday following the abrupt resignation of Steve Clark, is taking over one of the most important seats at Premier Doug Ford's cabinet table — and the set of challenging policy files that comes with it — amid an ongoing controversy over the Greenbelt land swap.

As the province faces a crippling housing supply and affordability crisis, building more homes and bringing down prices has become priority number one. Calandra will now shoulder much of the responsibility for achieving that goal, which experts say will be a challenge.

Mitch Heimpel, director of campaigns and government relations at public affairs firm Enterprise Canada, said Clark's unique biography and experience will make him difficult to replace. He served three terms as mayor of Brockville, Ont., starting in 1982, was president of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and has been a member of Provincial Parliament representing a riding south of Ottawa since 2010.