EAST
HANTS, NS, March 28, 2024 /CNW/ - With federal
funding and federal leadership, we are changing how municipalities
let housing get built in their communities. With a greater focus on
higher density housing, student housing, homes near transit and
affordable housing, we are going to get more homes built for
Canadians at prices they can afford.
Today, the Government of Canada
and the Municipality of East Hants
announced that they reached an agreement to fast track over 200
housing units over the next three years. This deal will help spur
the construction of more than 2,800 homes over the next decade.
The agreement, under the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), will
provide over $5.8 million to
eliminate barriers to building the housing we need, faster.
East Hants' Action Plan commits to
nine local initiatives such as allowing more units on residential
lots, reducing parking requirements for new developments, waiving
building permit fees for accessory dwellings, making municipal land
available for housing, and streamlining approval processing times
with a new e-permitting platform.
HAF is helping cut red tape and fast track at least 100,000
permitted new homes over the first three years, which cities and
regions estimate will lead to the creation of more than 750,000
permitted new homes for people in towns, cities, and Indigenous
communities across Canada over the
next decade. It asks for innovative action plans from local
governments, and once approved, provides upfront funding to ensure
the timely building of new homes, as well as additional funds upon
delivering results. Local governments are encouraged to think big
and be bold in their approaches, which could include accelerating
project timelines, allowing increased housing density, and
encouraging affordable housing units.
The Government of Canada is
making life more affordable for Canadians – and housing is key to
our work. We will continue to work with provincial, territorial,
and municipal governments, as well as Indigenous partners, to keep
building more homes for Canadians, faster.
Quotes:
"We are excited and proud to announce this partnership with
East Hants. With initiatives like
allowing more units on residential lots, making municipal lands
available for housing, waiving permit fees for accessory units, and
streamlining approval processes, East
Hants will ensure that they have more of the kind of homes
needed to tackle the housing crisis. We will continue working with
cities, towns, municipalities, mayors, Indigenous partners, and all
levels of government to get more homes built for Canadians at
prices they can afford." – The Honourable Sean
Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
"East Hants is a great place to
live and is home to several of the fastest growing communities in
Nova Scotia. I am very pleased to
share that the Government of Canada is investing $5.8M through the Housing Accelerator Fund to
support the Municipality of East
Hants plan to get more homes built faster. This agreement
will result in the construction of 2,800 new homes in East Hants over the next decade, ensuring that
more Nova Scotian families can call East
Hants home." – Kody
Blois, Member of Parliament for Kings-Hants
"East Hants is extremely
grateful to receive funds from the Housing Accelerator Fund
program. This is great news for our communities and will give us
the ability to continue to expand housing options for our
residents." – Eleanor Roulston, Warden of East
Hants
Quick Facts:
- Today's announcement was made by Kody
Blois, Member of Parliament for Kings-Hants, on behalf of the Honourable Sean
Fraser, Minister of Housing Infrastructure and Communities, and
Eleanor Roulston, Warden of
East Hants.
- Launched in March 2023, the
Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) is a $4 billion initiative from
the Government of Canada that will
run until 2026-27.
- The Housing Accelerator Fund is part of Canada's National Housing Strategy (NHS), an
$82+ billion plan to give more Canadians a place to call home.
Progress on programs and initiatives are updated quarterly
at www.placetocallhome.ca. The Housing Funding
Initiatives Map shows affordable housing projects that have been
developed.
- As of September 30, 2023, the
Government of Canada has committed
over $38.89 billion to support the
creation of almost 152,000 units and the repair of over 241,000
units. These measures prioritize those in greatest need, including
seniors, Indigenous Peoples, people experiencing or at risk of
homelessness, and women and children fleeing violence.
Associated Links:
- Housing Accelerator Fund
- Housing Accelerator Fund – Building more homes, faster
- Building more homes, faster
- Making housing more affordable for Canadians
- National Housing Strategy
SOURCE Government of Canada