Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government has been quiet since the federal election about the housing crisis, the same issue that contributed to the Liberals’ fading popularity under their previous leader.
Behind the scenes, however, housing stakeholders are fielding a flurry of calls from government officials seeking their advice on the creation of Build Canada Homes, a new federal entity that Mr. Carney has said will get the government back in the business of homebuilding.
His ambitions, announced during his campaign, were big: act as a developer to build affordable housing, spur innovation in the housing sector and offer low-cost financing to affordable-housing builders.
However, trade turmoil has quickly overshadowed housing affordability in the political arena, creating a void of information on how the federal government plans to get more homes built.
Renée LeBlanc Proctor, a spokesperson for Housing Minister Gregor Robertson, said in a statement that the government was on track to launch the initiative this fall and stakeholders would learn more soon.
But questions still linger about how the new entity will function, and what its creation will mean for existing programs. Meanwhile, some leaders in the housing policy and advocacy spaces are worried that if the government doesn’t move quickly to spur more supply, the economic slowdown caused by U.S. tariffs will set plans further behind.
Mr. Carney promised the initiative would be a “lean, mission-driven organization” focused on building affordable housing by leveraging public lands and partnering with the private sector. He pitched it as a central piece of the government’s plan to double the rate of homebuilding in the country.
Raymond Sullivan, executive director of the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association, an organization that represents the social and non-profit housing sector, said he’s encouraged to see affordable housing at the heart of Build Canada Homes’ mission.
But given how long it can take to set up a new bureaucracy, Mr. Sullivan said the government should roll out elements of Build Canada Homes as they become ready, rather than wait for the entire organization to be set up.
[…]
University of Toronto senior housing researcher Carolyn Whitzman said there are two versions of the initiative that are being discussed in policy circles: one that is limited in scope and focused primarily on partnering with developers to build affordable housing on public land, and one that also has a larger mandate encompassing financing and innovation programs.
Figuring out what exactly Build Canada Homes will be responsible for and how it will distinguish itself from organizations such as the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation appear to be some of the details Ottawa is trying to hammer out, according to stakeholders consulted by the government.
Mr. Sullivan said Ottawa should ensure social-housing projects in the pipeline are not affected by the organization’s creation.
[…]
Some housing experts and stakeholders are skeptical that Build Canada Homes will be a sufficient solution to the housing shortage.
The government has had mixed success with its housing initiatives in the past — such as the slow progress it’s made on converting unused office space into affordable housing recently flagged by the Auditor-General — and a new organization will likely take time to begin delivering results.
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Title makes it seem like Canada turned to the occult in a desperate bid to solve the housing crisis.
Archived version: [https://archive.fo/njTFi](https://archive.fo/njTFi).
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government has been quiet since the federal election about the housing crisis, the same issue that contributed to the Liberals’ fading popularity under their previous leader.
Behind the scenes, however, housing stakeholders are fielding a flurry of calls from government officials seeking their advice on the creation of Build Canada Homes, a new federal entity that Mr. Carney has said will get the government back in the business of homebuilding.
His ambitions, announced during his campaign, were big: act as a developer to build affordable housing, spur innovation in the housing sector and offer low-cost financing to affordable-housing builders.
However, trade turmoil has quickly overshadowed housing affordability in the political arena, creating a void of information on how the federal government plans to get more homes built.
Renée LeBlanc Proctor, a spokesperson for Housing Minister Gregor Robertson, said in a statement that the government was on track to launch the initiative this fall and stakeholders would learn more soon.
But questions still linger about how the new entity will function, and what its creation will mean for existing programs. Meanwhile, some leaders in the housing policy and advocacy spaces are worried that if the government doesn’t move quickly to spur more supply, the economic slowdown caused by U.S. tariffs will set plans further behind.
Mr. Carney promised the initiative would be a “lean, mission-driven organization” focused on building affordable housing by leveraging public lands and partnering with the private sector. He pitched it as a central piece of the government’s plan to double the rate of homebuilding in the country.
Raymond Sullivan, executive director of the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association, an organization that represents the social and non-profit housing sector, said he’s encouraged to see affordable housing at the heart of Build Canada Homes’ mission.
But given how long it can take to set up a new bureaucracy, Mr. Sullivan said the government should roll out elements of Build Canada Homes as they become ready, rather than wait for the entire organization to be set up.
[…]
University of Toronto senior housing researcher Carolyn Whitzman said there are two versions of the initiative that are being discussed in policy circles: one that is limited in scope and focused primarily on partnering with developers to build affordable housing on public land, and one that also has a larger mandate encompassing financing and innovation programs.
Figuring out what exactly Build Canada Homes will be responsible for and how it will distinguish itself from organizations such as the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation appear to be some of the details Ottawa is trying to hammer out, according to stakeholders consulted by the government.
Mr. Sullivan said Ottawa should ensure social-housing projects in the pipeline are not affected by the organization’s creation.
[…]
Some housing experts and stakeholders are skeptical that Build Canada Homes will be a sufficient solution to the housing shortage.
The government has had mixed success with its housing initiatives in the past — such as the slow progress it’s made on converting unused office space into affordable housing recently flagged by the Auditor-General — and a new organization will likely take time to begin delivering results.
!ping Can