National

Federal government to give $471 million to Toronto in housing deal

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 21 Dec, 2023 11:42 AM

The federal government says it will give Toronto nearly half a billion dollars in housing funding.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the announcement in Toronto this morning, saying the city will receive $471 million from the federal Housing Accelerator Fund.

Live from Toronto: We’re announcing an agreement to build more homes, faster for Torontonians. Tune in here for the details: https://t.co/WC4qeoYmdQ
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) December 21, 2023

The $4-billion fund is a federal initiative to encourage municipalities to make changes to bylaws and regulations that would spur more housing construction, in exchange for more money.

Some of the changes Ottawa has pushed for include denser zoning and faster issuance of permits.

Housing Minister Sean Fraser, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow and others were alongside Trudeau for the funding announcement.

Including the announcement today, Ottawa has reached deals with 16 municipalities across the country.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Ottawa could help health care with better international recruiting, Smith says

Improving health care is not just a matter of money and transfers from Ottawa to the provinces, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Tuesday. Health care is one of the main topics at the three-day meeting this week. The premiers also met with health worker representatives.

Ottawa could help health care with better international recruiting, Smith says

RCMP search for puppy, Lil Bit, stolen in alleged home invasion in Surrey, B.C.

Police in Surrey, B.C., are appealing for public help to find a puppy that was stolen during an alleged home invasion robbery. They say the six-month-old female miniature pinscher and Shih Tzu cross named Lil Bit was snatched when two people forced their way into a home on 147A Street last month and made off with the residents' belongings.

RCMP search for puppy, Lil Bit, stolen in alleged home invasion in Surrey, B.C.

Multiple charges as 27-year-old accused in crash that killed two B.C. teens

A statement from Metro Vancouver Transit Police says Cory Brown faces two counts of criminal negligence causing death, one count of driving while disqualified and one count of flight from police. He remains in custody and is expected to return to court on July 19.

Multiple charges as 27-year-old accused in crash that killed two B.C. teens

Get another COVID-19 booster in the fall, Canada's immunization panel recommends

NACI continues to strongly recommend that anyone five years of age and older who hasn't yet been vaccinated should be immunized with a primary two-dose series of an mRNA vaccine. It also has a "discretionary recommendation" that children six months to five years of age who haven't yet been vaccinated get the two-dose primary series of an mRNA vaccine.

Get another COVID-19 booster in the fall, Canada's immunization panel recommends

Southbound surges of U.S. agents causing delays, 'disarray' at Canada-U.S. border

New York Democrat Rep. Brian Higgins says Customs and Border Protection personnel are being temporarily reassigned to help fortify the U.S. border with Mexico. Higgins says as a result, busy points of entry along the Canada-U.S. border are seeing longer delays and unstaffed kiosks.

Southbound surges of U.S. agents causing delays, 'disarray' at Canada-U.S. border

NATO leaders agree to spend at least two per cent of their countries' GDP on defence

A statement released this afternoon in Vilnius, Lithuania, says NATO members pledge to make two per cent of GDP the minimum spend each year, with one-fifth of that going to equipment.