Time to put aside the endless joint-schools debates

‘Pieces of land and partners eager to go’ as Ottawa announces billions in funding

Edmonton’s mayor welcomed Ottawa’s national housing strategy unveiled Wednesday, which promises billions of dollars in help.

“This is what we’ve been looking for,” Don Iveson said. “This is a phenomenal day for cities and for housing and especially for people in need.”

The plan earmarks $4 billion for a portable housing benefit for low-income tenants starting in 2021 that will provide an average $2,500 a year in rental assistance for 300,000 households over seven years. It would require the provinces to match $2 billion in federal money.

A $15.9-billion housing fund would create 60,000 affordable housing units and allow repairs to 240,000 more, through grants and loans that prioritize mixedincome developments.

Overall, the strategy commits about $40 billion over a decade. Most of the money won’t start to flow until after the 2019 federal election. Specifics on how much money Edmonton will get are sparse, Iveson said.

“We’ve got pieces of land and partners eager to go, so I’m hopeful as soon as money starts to flow, we’ll be able to put some shovels in the ground next year on some projects,” he said.

Indigenous Canadians will especially benefit, he said.

“I think we can get quite innovative, actually, in partnership with First Nation housing providers, who for the first time ever have significant resources to develop new projects off-reserve and in the cities,” he said.

The whole idea of the federal government providing loan incentives and favourable financing will help leverage existing land and investment further, Iveson said.

The city has “dozens” of housing sites that are candidates for redevelopment and intensification, with a mix of market and subsidized housing providing better design, greater energy efficiency and with universal designs, he said.

“Whether it is student housing or supportive housing or affordable

First Nation housing providers ... for the first time ever have significant resources to develop new projects.

seniors housing, there are a lot of different opportunities for us to tuck a diversity of people with different incomes into that fantastic neighbourhood that we will be building over the coming decades,” Iveson said.

Jay Freeman, the city’s executive director of housing and homelessness, supports more money for housing construction and repairs.

While he is particularly pleased with the proposal to give subsidies directly to tenants, he is concerned about the length of time it will take for funding to flow, and that the government didn’t explicitly commit to maintaining current subsidy levels. He said it appears officials listened to public input.