Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was in Guelph, Ont. to announce a program that aims to build more homes in Canada.
He along with Housing Minister Ahmed Hussen introduced the $4 billion Housing Accelerator Fund.
In a news release, the funding will help cities, towns and Indigenous communities unlock new housing supply by speeding up development and approvals.
They go on to say local governments are now invited to develop innovative action plans, in line with the flexible criteria, to remove barriers to building more homes, faster.
“Our goal is to fast track the creation of 100,000 new homes and units across Canada,” Trudeau said. “It’s part of our plan to double the construction of homes with the next decade.”
Guelph MP Lloyd Longfield and Guelph Mayor Cam Guthrie were also there for the announcement on Friday which was made at Grace Gardens, a supportive housing project that is currently under construction.
Longfield said on Twitter that, “This announcement builds on the $51,579,578.00 we’ve already invested in Guelph to build 255 new housing units since 2015.”
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Guthrie, for one, has been perhaps the biggest voice on the housing crisis that is facing not only Guelph, but other towns and cities in Ontario.
“Leaders have been pleading for true partnerships with upper levels of government on the housing crisis,” said Guthrie. “This announcement is phenomenal.”
Guthrie added that to have the Prime Minister come to Guelph to make the announcement speaks to the elevated conversations that are being made about housing in the city.
The application portal for the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) will open in June. Trudeau says every municipality and community is encouraged to apply for the fund and action plans will be accepted once the application portal opens.