Financing for housing | Ottawa agrees with Quebec on an additional 92 million

(Ottawa) The federal government announced Monday that it had reached an agreement with Quebec to pay it an additional 92 million for the construction of housing, its share of an increase promised last spring to a pan-Canadian fund.

This new sum granted to Quebec will be allocated through the Fund to accelerate housing construction, which Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre intends to cut if he becomes Prime Minister, in order to finance one of his own promises.

By announcing the agreement reached with the Quebec government of François Legault, the lieutenant for Quebec of the federal Liberals, Jean-Yves Duclos, multiplied the arrows launched in the direction of Mr. Poilievre.

He criticizes him for denying that construction projects are already underway thanks to the program he wants to abolish. In Quebec, 57 projects have been started, according to Mr. Duclos, including seven which are in five federal ridings represented in the House of Commons by Conservative MPs.

“Five conservative deputies who will have to explain the lies of their leader,” ruled the one who is also Minister of Supply, listing their names: Bernard Généreux, Richard Martel, Pierre Paul-Hus, Luc Berthold and Dominique Vien.

According to Mr. Duclos, Pierre Poilievre prevents his deputies, including the five identified, from defending the investments planned in their constituency with the Fund to accelerate housing construction.

“He will have difficulty hiding his five Conservative deputies in a place where we cannot speak to them,” believes the minister.

Asked to react by The Canadian Press to Mr. Duclos’ comments, Mr. Poilievre’s office sent a written statement from the Conservatives’ Quebec lieutenant, Pierre Paul-Hus. The latter’s comment does not directly respond to Minister Duclos’s accusations, but touts the promise to redirect elsewhere the funds intended for the program which would be abolished under a Conservative government.

“The Conservatives’ common-sense plan will use this money to remove the GST on home purchases under $1 million and allow homeowners to save up to $50,000 on a new home. The elimination of this tax will also lead to the construction of 30,000 additional housing units each year,” declared the elected official who was notably identified by Mr. Duclos while he was formulating his attacks against the conservatives.

Quebec has already been allocated 900 million of the 4 billion initially planned by Ottawa in this program. The Legault government chose to match this investment, therefore also extending 900 million for the construction of housing. These initial sums should make it possible to build 8,000 housing units.

The Fund to Accelerate Housing Construction aims in particular to reduce administrative formalities and update local zoning policies. The initiative, headed by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), is scheduled to last until 2026-2027.

In Quebec, Ottawa cannot conclude agreements directly with municipalities. In accordance with a provincial law, an agreement must first be reached with the Quebec government, which is the case for the 900 million and now for the 92 million.

Asked why he was not making Monday’s press briefing by representatives of the Legault government, Mr. Duclos replied that Quebec “prefers to make the announcement soon and that is completely correct.”

Moreover, the office of the Quebec Minister of Housing, France-Élaine Duranceau, declined the request for comment from The Canadian Press, justifying this refusal by affirming that “an announcement for Quebec will take place soon”.