麻豆影视

Politics

    • 'Housing is a solvable problem,' Trudeau says, unveiling first funding under program pledged years ago

    Share

    Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the "first of many" municipal agreements under the federal government's Housing Accelerator Fund on Wednesday, a small-scale step that the Liberals are framing as an example of how they plan to tackle the issue that's become so pressing for many Canadians.

    The $74-million deal with London, Ont. will fast-track the creation of more than 2,000 housing units over the next three years, and build thousands more in the years following. The Liberals say it is part of a promised multi-pronged housing strategy to be illuminated in the months ahead.

    These housing units will include high-density development without the need for re-zoning, and clear the way for more development of duplexes, triplexes, and small apartment buildings close to public transit on city land, according to the government. 

    Through , the government is targeting the creation of 100,000 net new housing units across Canada by incentivizing municipalities to cut red tape by updating their zoning and permit systems to allow for speedier construction of residential properties. 

    Describing Wednesday's announcement as the "first of many," Trudeau said that as similar deals are struck with other cities, thousands of more affordable homes will come onto the market.

    "Housing is a solvable problem, and we're all going to solve it if we work together. Canada has done it before, and we're going to do it again," Trudeau said.

    The $4-billion Housing Accelerator Fund was first promised in the 2021 federal election, and the money was earmarked in the 2022 federal budget as part of a $10-billion housing-focused package.

    Trudeau officially launched the fund

    Asked by 麻豆影视 why it took this long for money to start flowing, Trudeau said briefly the responsibility for housing is shared jurisdiction, before passing the question off to Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Sean Fraser. His response was now that the tap is turned on, expect more local announcements in short order.

    Prior to the announcement鈥攚hich took place prior to the entire Liberal caucus gathering in the southwestern Ontario city鈥攖he two federal policymakers visited an affordable housing site.

    "Sean, I'm pretty sure this is our first housing announcement together since you began your new role鈥. But I look forward to many more just like this one," Trudeau said, issuing a challenge to other mayors to "step up" with proposals to access some of the multi-billion dollar fund.

    Asked whether him saying housing prices are too high right now means Trudeau wants to see housing prices come down, the prime minister said he just thinks prices "cannot continue to go up."   

    On Wednesday, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to its estimate of how much housing Canada will need by 2030.

    It showed that Canada still needs 3.5 million additional housing units by 2030 to restore affordability above what's already planned, which was consistent with what the federal housing body projected last year. 

    In an interview on the Vassy Kapelos Show, the CMHC's deputy chief economist Aled ab Iorwerth said he doesn't think it's actually possible to build that many more homes in the next six or so years. Faced with these statistics, Trudeau and Fraser were undeterred. 

    "We're facing a shortage of housing right now, and that's why prices of homes have become far too high鈥 Housing in big cities around the world has already become out of reach for many... Places like New York, Paris, London, San Francisco, but we're not going to follow those examples," Trudeau said.

    FRASER SAYS STRATEGY SHIFTING 

    Fraser鈥攚ho took on the new role as part of a massive cabinet shuffle in July鈥攔ecently told 麻豆影视' Chief Political Correspondent Vassy Kapelos that the government would have new measures announced "over the next few months" that will "help address housing affordability across Canada." 

    Fraser said at the time he wouldn't be bound by waiting for a certain date, such as the upcoming fall economic update, to start rolling out new measures.

    Fraser said while there is no "silver bullet," the cabinet is taking an "all hands on deck" approach in trying to work with the other levels of government and the private sector to come up with measures to change the myriad of issues plaguing the housing sector, from permit lags to rising building costs.

    However, on Wednesday, the minister made it clear that if mayors or municipalities want the federal government to pony up federal dollars for their projects they have to give a reason.

    "A new standard has been set and we have new expectations. We want you to build houses near transit, we want you to build houses near campuses, we want you to build houses so families can access the services that they need鈥. It's not too much to ask," he said. 

    He said the dynamic has "fundamentally shifted" from when the Liberals took office, from a housing landscape where the need was greatest for publicly-funded social housing for low-income families, to homes for middle-class Canadians.

    "People who are going to school deserve to have a place near their classes. People who are going to work deserve to have a home near where they go to work, and everybody deserves to be able to have a home they can afford near the services they need to access," Fraser said.

    "Canadians want to see what we're going to be coming up with over the next number of months鈥 and they should expect to see a renewed focus that's looking to build homes, not just for low-income Canadians and affordable housing projects, but across the housing spectrum." 

    Treasury Board President Anita Anand said Wednesday morning that the effort she is leading to cut $15 billion in government spending "should not impact our priorities on housing, on affordability, on vulnerable Canadians."

    FIRST STEP AMID SLUMPING POLLS 

    Wednesday's housing announcement comes as a survey conducted by Nanos Research for 麻豆影视 Channel's Power Play indicated that Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives and Jagmeet Singh's NDP were more trusted than the federal Liberals when it comes to addressing housing affordability.

    Last month the prime minister said that heading into the fall, the rising cost of housing will be one of the minority Liberal government's "core" priorities, however faced criticism for wrapping his cabinet strategy session in Charlottetown, without announcing any concrete actions on that front. 

    With overall horse race polls suggesting Poilievre's cost-of-living message was resonating with Canadians feeling the pinch of inflation, as Liberal MPs began to trickle into town for the caucus retreat to strategize ahead of the fall House of Commons sitting, the need to act on housing and better communicate their policies were the common themes.

    "I'm 32 years old, I'm a member of Parliament. I haven't been able to purchase a home," said London West, Ont. MP Arielle Kayabaga. "So, it's not just a fight of鈥 politicking. These are personal fights for some people, and they matter, and we need to see more housing for Canadians." 

    Pouncing on this comment from Kayabaga, the Conservatives noted that even with a salary of nearly $195,000, Trudeau MPs are finding home ownership out of reach.

    "It appears that members of the Liberal caucus are just now starting to notice what their constituents have been facing for the past eight years," said a statement issued by Poilievre's office.

    Paul Kershaw, the founder of focused on advocating for young Canadians struggling to get ahead in the current economic climate, briefed cabinet during its retreat on what more the Liberals could be doing to tap into this demographic on the housing file. 

    Speaking to 麻豆影视 on Wednesday about Trudeau's announcement, Kershaw said it was a good first move, but he's excited to see how the competition between the Liberals and Conservatives on the issue of housing, will "drive better policy" in the months ahead.

    "That is desperately what a younger demographic deserves, and newcomers of any age. We need these two parties not only to be competing over the rhetoric of who is being trapped in whose basement, but they need to be competing over the solutions," he said. 

    NDP SAYS IT'S A 'GOOD START'

    A senior government source that 麻豆影视 spoke to ahead of Wednesday's housing announcement framed it as giving Liberal MPs an example of "tangible" action they can point to when they speak with constituents, but the Liberals also have to try to keep their confidence-and-supply deal partners, the NDP, happy.

    On Wednesday, Singh took credit for the announcement, noting enhancing efforts to launch the Housing Accelerator Fund, was a commitment stitched into their two-party deal. While calling it "a good start," Singh wants the government to go further, faster.

    "For eight years Justin Trudeau has been promising help but he's let people down and disappointed them at every turn. And now today, when the Liberals finally acted, they鈥檙e offering support we made them put in over a year and a half ago," Singh said.

    "The federal government has the resources, the land and the power to build more affordable housing units in cities across the country. They just need the will to do it." 

    Heavy security is in place around the convention centre hosting the meeting, on account for the dozen anti-Trudeau protesters convened out front. 

    With files from 麻豆影视' Judy Trinh and Rachel Hanes 

    IN DEPTH

    Opinion

    opinion

    opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

    When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    Why brain aging can vary dramatically between people

    Researchers are uncovering deeper insights into how the human brain ages and what factors may be tied to healthier cognitive aging, including exercising, avoiding tobacco, speaking a second language or even playing a musical instrument.

    The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.

    A man who was critically injured in a police-involved shooting in Hamilton late Sunday afternoon has died in hospital, says the province鈥檚 police watchdog.

    Canada

    World

    Politics

    • Murray Sinclair鈥檚 family members say the late justice and senator has been laid to rest according to his wishes.

    • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced voters in Cloverdale鈥擫angley City will pick their next member of Parliament on Dec. 16.

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    Sports

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    For the second year in a row, the 鈥楪ift-a-Family鈥 campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.

    Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.

    A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.

    As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.

    A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts 鈥 not for themselves, but for those in need.

    A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.

    Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.

    A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.

    • Weather watchers were treated to an exceptionally rare display on Friday evening as rare cloud formations filled Vancouver skies.

    • For some shoppers it was Nov. 1, but for others the first hints of Christmas - saccharine treats, festive-fragranced candles and gaudily wrapped gift sets - were being noticed in stores long before the final Halloween decor had been cleared.

    • Thousands of people are expected to gather in downtown Vancouver on Monday to observe the city鈥檚 100th Remembrance Day ceremony.

    • Toronto is expected to see an economic boost to the tune of nearly $300 million thanks to Taylor Swift鈥檚 upcoming Eras Tour, which will be making a stop in Canada鈥檚 largest city for a six-show run later this month.

    • One man was transported to hospital early Monday morning after a stabbing in the northwest end of the city, Toronto police say.

    • A pair of 105-mm howitzers bark constantly as they turn plywood tank targets into kindling kilometres away on the windswept landscape of one of Canada's largest military bases.

    • Two semis were among the vehicles involved in a multi-vehicle crash that brought westbound traffic along Stoney Trail Northwest to a standstill on Sunday.

    • More than 700 people danced, ate, and sang to celebrate Diwali Saturday night at the Genesis Centre in northeast Calgary.

    • NEW THIS MORNING

      NEW THIS MORNING

      An Ottawa boy with a rare disease will be getting the chance to see Taylor Swift in concert after the winner and organizers of an auction held on his behalf gifted the tickets to him.

    • After months of controversy surrounding a dog park in Ottawa's west end, a solution has been reached to divide the park in half.

    • CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa.

    • An elementary school in Greenfield Park on Montreal鈥檚 South Shore is closed after it was the target of an alleged arson attack.

    • Some 12,000 daycare workers are set to begin their strike action Monday morning.

    • Two vehicles were set on fire in Montreal鈥檚 east end Riviere-des-Prairies neighbourhood.

    • Monday is Remembrance Day, a time to honour armed forces members who have died in the line of duty.

    • Boasting 2,300 square metres of skating space at its new location, Edmonton's Rollers Roller Rink believes it is the largest in Canada.

    • A woman is dead after a driver crashed a truck through a Boston Pizza in Fort McMurray late Saturday morning.

    • A pillar in Canada鈥檚 history was honoured in Winnipeg Sunday afternoon, with thousands showing up to pay tribute to the life and legacy of the late Murray Sinclair.

    • Winnipeg police have identified two men involved in a stabbing incident earlier this week.

    • The Winnipeg Blue Bombers whipped the Saskatchewan Roughriders 38-22 in Saturday's CFL West Division final to earn their fifth consecutive trip to the Grey Cup.

    • Regina author Valerie Crowther is celebrating the release of her book 鈥榃ar Letters: Linking Lives in the Second World War.鈥

    • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

    • Twilight Tech Arcade, an entertainment location specializing in retro gaming, is closing its doors for the foreseeable future.

    • A man has been charged after a stabbing at an apartment building in Kitchener.

    • The Guelph Police Service is putting out a warning after two deaths in the downtown area.

    • Two new tributes to Canada鈥檚 veterans have been unveiled at the Elmira Cenotaph.

    • Saskatchewan RCMP are searching for a suspect after a man was seriously injured in a farm-related incident in Montreal Lake.

    • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

    • The Regina Rams claimed the Hardy Cup after a hard fought battle against the Saskatoon Huskies 19-14 on Saturday in the first all Saskatchewan U-Sports western conference final since 2002.

    • Emergency crews responded to the scene on Road 68/Highway 2 east of Thamesford around 7 p.m.

    • On Friday, the Sarnia Police Service (SPS) received a report of an alleged abduction in the area of Kathleen Avenue and Walnut Avenue.

    • The events will start at 10:15 a.m. with a parade that forms up in front of the Delta London Armories, marches east on Dundas Street and turns north onto Waterloo Street to Dufferin Avenue, the west to the Cenotaph.

    • A group of former NHL players faced off against York Regional Police officers in Newmarket Sunday afternoon to raise funds for Special Olympics programs across the province.

    • A driver is facing multiple charges after a multi-vehicle collision on Highway 400 early Sunday morning.

    • The agreed statement of facts was read to the court on Friday in the case of Alex Williams, the 24-year-old jail guard charged last fall with smuggling cannabis and tobacco into Central North Correctional Centre in Penetanguishene.

    • One person has been arrested after Chatham-Kent Police Service (CKPS) received multiple complaints about an alleged drunk driver.

    • More details have been released about a police investigation at the Ambassador Bridge that connects Windsor, Ont. and Detroit, MI.

    • An individual is dead following a collision involving a motorcycle in Kingsville.

    • Environment Canada says heavy rain and winds could cause power outages on Vancouver Island as an "intense" storm system is set to hit the B.C. coast Sunday.

    • Six deer were struck by vehicles in six different locations in a six-hour period on B.C. highways on Saturday, according to the transportation ministry.

    • The union for locked-out port workers in British Columbia says the BC Maritime Employers Association cut off talks in less than an hour Saturday, refusing to budge on a final offer that the union has so far rejected.

    • The emergency department at South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver, B.C., will be closed for 31 hours this weekend, the second such closure in a week and the third since the start of November.

    • Police in Kamloops, B.C., are reminding parents and guardians to check their children's Halloween candy after receiving a report of a mother finding a razor blade in one of her daughter's treats.

    • More than two years after Alannah Brown and Douglas Barker were found dead north of Penticton, police are asking for help identifying a vehicle they believe was associated with the crime.

    • The Southern Alberta Recreation Association is officially announcing the Town of Taber as next year鈥檚 host for the Southern Alberta Summer Games.

    • The Lethbridge Hurricanes broke open a close game with three goals in the first two minutes of the third period as they defeated the Warriors 7-3 in a game played Friday night in Moose Jaw.

    • There might not a lot snow just yet, but many southern Albertans are still itching to get outdoors.

    • Police have arrested a 15-year-old in connection with a break-in and $50,000 in damage done to the Centennial Arena in Elliot Lake in September.

    • Mayors of the five largest cities in northern Ontario met in North Bay the last two days to discuss a range of critical issues impacting their cities and the region.

    • Residents in the Sault expressed concerns ranging from vandalism to privacy invasions during recent consultations on the city's plan to install automated speed enforcement cameras.

    N.L.

    Stay Connected
    Follow 麻豆影视