After much back-and-forth, the federal government and Ontario have finally agreed on a $357M National Housing Strategy deal. This funding will go towards new rent-assisted housing. Initially, the feds planned to bypass Doug Ford’s government and work directly with municipalities due to dissatisfaction with Ontario’s housing plans.
Sean Fraser, Canada’s Minister of Housing, issued a stern letter to Ontario’s Paul Calandra, highlighting the province’s failure to detail how it would achieve its target of 19,660 new affordable homes by 2028. Fraser even hinted at cutting the province out of the funding loop entirely. In response, Ontario revised its Action Plan, detailing which projects received provincial investment and how the funds would be managed through municipal service managers. The new plan includes setting supply targets, directing funds to new projects, and implementing data collection and reporting mechanisms.
With this agreement, Ontario will also submit an Action Plan for 2025-2028 by December 31, 2024, to secure further federal funding under the 10-year National Housing Strategy. The joint statement from Fraser and Calandra emphasizes a team approach to solving the housing crisis, promising ongoing collaboration with municipal partners to ensure Ontarians get the affordable housing they need.
