Canada's housing crisis will take years to solve: finance minister
CTV
An affordable housing crisis that is hurting the Canadian government's popularity will take years to resolve, even if construction hits an 80-year high, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Saturday.
An affordable housing crisis that is hurting the Canadian government's popularity will take years to resolve, even if construction hits an 80-year high, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Saturday.
Her comments were among the first by a senior member of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal administration to acknowledge the scale of the challenge. Polls show the Liberals trailing their Conservative rivals, who blame Ottawa for high inflation and soaring home prices.
Housing is mainly the responsibility of the 10 provinces as well as major municipalities, with Ottawa's role limited to policy advice and financial incentives.
"It will take all of us — the federal government and the provinces, cities and towns, the private sector and non-profits ... working together in common cause, not for weeks or months, but for years," Freeland said.
"Building the homes a growing Canada needs will require another great national effort," she told a Montreal conference, saying the country would have to build homes at a speed and scale not seen since the 1940s and 1950s.
In a bid to boost supply, the government has said it will remove the federal 5 per cent GST on the construction of new rental apartment buildings and is telling cities to do more to address the issue.
(Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by David Gregorio)
The Alberta government is hitting back at the proposed federal emissions cap Tuesday afternoon.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says Donald Trump’s concerns about the border are valid, as the president-elect threatens sweeping tariffs on Canadian goods.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be convening a meeting of all of Canada's premiers 'this week' to discuss U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's intent to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all products from Canada and Mexico on his first day in office, if border issues aren't addressed.
Mounties say they have dismantled a large drug distribution ring in Metro Vancouver, seizing automatic weapons and hundreds of kilograms of illicit cannabis.
A 21-year-old from southern Ontario has been charged with several offences after a victim from Greater Sudbury was tricked into giving him $20,000.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is reacting to a threat from incoming U.S. president-elect Donald Trump to impose tariffs on imports from Canada, calling the proposal ‘insulting’ and emphasizing the need for leaders to work together on a response.
The B.C. government and business leaders across the province are urging President-elect Donald Trump to reconsider his promised 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian exports.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says if President-elect Donald Trump imposes a 25 per cent tariff on all products from Canada and Mexico it would have a disastrous effect on food security and energy across North America.
A Burlington, Ont. woman who allegedly sold fake tickets to Taylor Swift’s concerts in Toronto and scammed fans out of tens of thousands of dollars is facing charges, police say.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and members of his cabinet are expected to face fresh questions today about Donald Trump vowing to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all products from Canada and Mexico on his first day in office, if border issues aren’t addressed.
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew offered condolences Monday to the families affected by two fatal police shootings in the province and spoke to the challenge faced by officers on the front lines.