Close X
Thursday, November 28, 2024
ADVT 
National

Fraser announces $176 million in housing deals with more than 60 rural communities

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 13 Feb, 2024 10:42 AM
  • Fraser announces $176 million in housing deals with more than 60 rural communities

The federal government will roll out more than 60 housing agreements with small and rural communities across the country over the next few weeks, Housing Minister Sean Fraser announced Tuesday.

Fraser said in a news conference that the deals are worth $176 million and will help build more than 50,000 housing units over the next decade.

"What we've seen over the course of the past few years is more people have chosen to move to small towns," Fraser said.

"We're seeing the cost of rent has gone up dramatically as vacancy rates get lower. We see that the cost of purchasing a home is far greater today than it was even just a few years ago." 

Fraser said rural communities are being given more flexibility when it comes to their commitments in the agreements, in part because they have different capacities than larger municipalities.

Ottawa has been signing agreements directly with municipalities through its housing accelerator fund, which offers money in exchange for changes to bylaws and regulations that would support more homebuilding.

Municipalities were invited to apply for the federal fund with a plan on how they intend to ramp up construction in their communities. 

The Liberal government has pitched the fund as a key pillar of its economic plan as it faces political pressure to address the country's housing crisis.

Fraser said on top of the deals for smaller communities, the federal government has reached 36 agreements to date that will help construct more than 500,000 housing units over the next decade.

That includes a deal with the city of Ottawa worth $176 million announced on Monday. 

Out of the $4-billion housing accelerator fund, about $640 million remains available to municipalities that have not yet signed agreements, said a spokesman for Fraser.

Tuesday's announcement came during Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland's weekly news conference on the Liberals' economic agenda. 

The weekly update was brought in during the fall as part of the Liberals' push to sell its own policies to Canadians at a time when support for the party is tanking. 

The news conferences typically include minor announcements and offer an opportunity for ministers to spotlight previously announced measures.

On Tuesday, Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault highlighted that the federal government has increased student loan forgiveness for rural nurses and doctors by 50 per cent to increase health-care services in these communities. 

The increase means family doctors and nurses in rural communities are eligible for loan forgiveness of up to $60,000 and $30,000, respectively. 

The change took effect last year. 

MORE National ARTICLES

High power demand due to cold snap: BC Hydro

High power demand due to cold snap: BC Hydro
BC Hydro says the extreme cold temperatures saw the province experience a record-high power demand. The public utility says in a statement it reached record demand highs on Friday night of eleven thousand three hundred megawatts.  

High power demand due to cold snap: BC Hydro

Canadians in several provinces to receive carbon price rebates today

Canadians in several provinces to receive carbon price rebates today
Canadians living in provinces where the federal carbon price is collected are expected to receive their first Climate Action Incentive rebate of the year today. The federal government says people living in provinces including Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Ontario, and Saskatchewan will receive the rebate through direct bank deposit or by cheque if they have filed their income tax and benefit returns.

Canadians in several provinces to receive carbon price rebates today

Snowflurries in Vancouver on Tuesday

Snowflurries in Vancouver on Tuesday
Environment Canada says the forecast calls for snowflurries in the Metro Vancouver area by Tuesday, followed by rain later this week. Temperatures are still forecast to remain well below zero Celsius in the province's northeast and Kootenay regions.

Snowflurries in Vancouver on Tuesday

Record cold in Western Canada across B.C., Alberta

Record cold in Western Canada across B.C., Alberta
In British Columbia, rescue crews say two skiers are lucky to be alive after they became lost in the Fitzsimmons Creek area near Whistler late Thursday as wind chill dipped around -50 C. North Shore Rescue says on social media that a helicopter was used to hoist out the pair who were hypothermic with frozen feet, and it's "unlikely the skiers would have survived the night."

Record cold in Western Canada across B.C., Alberta

Phone lines not meant for refund complaints: Coquitlam RCMP

Phone lines not meant for refund complaints: Coquitlam RCMP
Mounties in Coquitlam are reminding the public that its emergency and non-emergency lines are not meant for complaints about things like a cold fast-food burger. Police say that was one of many calls they had to 9-1-1 that take away staff time from helping someone with a life-threatening situation.   

Phone lines not meant for refund complaints: Coquitlam RCMP

Snow and cold in Metro Vancouver wreaks havoc on the roads

Snow and cold in Metro Vancouver wreaks havoc on the roads
An abrupt snowfall in Metro Vancouver resulted in snarled traffic and set off numerous crashes on major routes. Environment Canada says the area received about 3 centimetres of snow Thursday, which combined with freezing temperatures to create icy roads throughout the region.

Snow and cold in Metro Vancouver wreaks havoc on the roads