Saturday, September 7, 2024

Trudeau government announces $6 billion housing infrastructure fund

First Published:

The Trudeau government’s pre-budget cross-country tour continued Tuesday with the announcement that it will launch a $6 billion housing infrastructure fund.

The money is meant to speed up construction and improve things like water infrastructure,
but to get the funds, the provinces will have to meet certain conditions with a deadline of 2025.

The federal government plans to make $1 billion directly available to cities for urgent infrastructure needs, while the rest of the money is up in the air until provinces and territories sign on.

This would require them to adopt certain housing policies including the recently announced renters’ bill of rights, freeze development charges for three years, and require municipalities to broadly allow the construction of fourplexes.

Now that’s an issue in Ontario because last week, Premier Doug Ford said his government would not introduce legislation to automatically legalize fourplexes across the province.

READ MORE: With budget mostly silent on climate change, critics say Ontario lacks plan to adapt

And Ford is not alone, a few other premiers say they’re displeased with the federal government’s decision to place conditions on provinces and territories.

“We want to go even faster and further, this is why in Budget 2024 we will invest an additional $400 million in the housing accelerator fund to fast track the construction of even more homes,” Trudeau said.

“Today’s announcement is part of our larger housing plan and we’ll have even more to say over the coming days.”

Following Tuesday’s announcement, a spokeswoman for Ontario’s housing minister said the provincial government will wait for more details from the federal government and is open to collaboration.

More Top News

BRIGHT Run raises over half a million for breast cancer research in Hamilton

Close to 2000 people laced up their sneakers Saturday to not only help a charity reach its fundraising goal but smash its previous record. For...

‘It’s been hell’: Hamilton mother demands answers in son’s unsolved homicide

A mother is demanding answers from the police after losing her son earlier this year in a downtown Hamilton shooting. 18-year-old Alexander Circiumaru was shot...

Evening weather forecast for September 7, 2024

Shelly Marriage shares the forecast for September 7, 2024.

Evening weather forecast for September 6, 2024

Shelly Marriage shares the forecast for September 6, 2024 and the days ahead.

Marineland owner Marie Holer dies, park says ‘succession plan’ in place

Marineland's owner, Marie Holer, has died. The Niagara Falls, Ont., tourist attraction says her unwavering support was integral to the park's legacy. Marineland says the park...

Person hospitalized for Ontario’s first human case of rabies since 1967

Ontario is reporting the first human case of rabies contracted in the province in more than half a century. Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr....