Federal government allocates $3.3m to boost housing over next three years
The federal government has announced an agreement with the Newfoundland and Labrador town of Channel-Port aux Basques which will see construction of over 90 housing units within the next three years, and more than 390 homes over the next decade.
Arranged under the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), the agreement will provide $3.3 million in order to remove the barriers that impede the fast construction of more housing units.
“By encouraging making municipal land available for housing, encouraging gentle density and contributing to affordable and accessible housing development and affordable and accessible housing, the City will ensure that Channel-Port aux Basques has more of the kind of homes we need to tackle the housing crisis,” said Sean Fraser, minister of housing, infrastructure, and communities.
“This funding of over $3.3 million for housing in Channel-Port aux Basques will speed up the development of safe and affordable housing to meet the needs of a community that was devastated by Hurricane Fiona,” said Gudie Hutchings, minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency as well as minister of rural economic development and member of parliament for Long Range Mountains.
The town’s action plan will commit to five local initiatives which will allow a variety of housing forms and densities which will meet the needs of the community. It will establish policies and incentives to encourage medium-density, duplex, and multi-family housing in Grand Bay West.
It will also help in developing the town’s climate resilience through increasing awareness about climate risk management as well as help the town reach net-zero energy and carbon in housing developments in the future.
Through HAF, at least 100,000 permitted new homes have been fast tracked over its first three years. The fund asks action plans from local governments and upon approval, it provides funding which ensures the timely construction of new homes and additional funding upon results.
