Published on May 28, 2024 by Toronto Star
Ottawa and Queen’s Park have reached a deal ensuring $357 million in federal funds will flow to the province to build affordable housing.
After months of negotiations — and an acrimonious letter made public in the Star — federal Housing Minister Sean Fraser and provincial Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Paul Calandra on Tuesday announced the impasse had been cleared.
“Solving the housing crisis requires a Team Canada approach. We will continue to work together, along with our municipal partners, to make sure the people of Ontario have the homes they need,” Fraser and Calandra said in a joint statement.
“Canada and Ontario recognize that our collaboration is imperative to solving the housing crisis. That is why we are pleased to share that an agreement has been reached on a revised action plan from Ontario that will unlock $357 million of federal funding under the National Housing Strategy,” they said.
Under the bilateral agreement between the governments of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier Doug Ford, Queen’s Park has submitted a revised “action plan” detailing the affordable housing projects that are receiving provincial funding.
The province’s revamped 2022-25 plan forecasts at least 8,644 more affordable housing units will be built by March 31, 2025.
But Ford’s government could actually meet its original federally mandated target of 19,660 new units by that deadline.
