Prime Minister Mark Carney made an appearance on Monday at a breakfast gathering hosted by Ottawa’s mayor, where he shared details about the federal housing plan’s implications for Ottawa. The Liberals introduced the Build Canada Homes agency in September, committing a $13 billion fund to support the construction of affordable housing nationwide. A vacant federal government campus on Heron Road is among the initial locations chosen for development.
During the event at Ottawa’s Rogers Centre, Carney revealed plans for a joint investment of $400 million by the city and federal government to erect up to 3,000 new residential units in buildings categorized as partially or entirely affordable. The city will offer assistance by reducing fees and property taxes for projects on federal lands, with a focus on prioritizing Canadian building materials.
A report released in August by the parliamentary budget officer highlighted the necessity for Canada to build 690,000 new housing units by 2035, in addition to the ongoing construction, to address the country’s housing needs. The Build Canada Homes initiative aims to deliver 26,000 new units.
Apart from housing updates, Carney announced a federal investment of $1.2 million in a new substance abuse pilot project initiated by the city and the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction. The project aims to enhance responses to crime and substance abuse while promoting skills development. Additionally, Canada intends to bid for hosting the 2028 La Francophonie summit in Ottawa-Gatineau, gathering approximately 90 member states and observers.
On another front, the city and province are collaborating to construct 33 modular townhomes on Beechcliffe Street, featuring three to four bedrooms each in the vicinity of Woodroffe Avenue and Knoxdale Road. The project, funded with $3 million from Ottawa and $3.4 million from the Ontario government, with an additional $3 million from the province’s Building Faster Fund, will involve the global charity Habitat for Humanity.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at La Francophonie in Villers-Cotterets, France on Oct. 4, 2024. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)
