Alberta mayors welcome more money for local housing infrastructure
A new bilateral program to accelerate homebuilding was announced in July with the funding set aside being used to set up water and wastewater infrastructure for homes.
Alberta mayors are expressing optimism about their communities' futures after a federal and provincial government deal to fund housing infrastructure was announced in Red Deer on July 29. The funding, set aside in the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund, will be used to set up water and wastewater infrastructure for homes. Ottawa is contributing $510 million to the program, with Edmonton contributing roughly one-third of eligible project costs. The province estimates that $428 million in funding can be unlocked.
Okotoks Mayor Tanya Thorn is excited about the opportunity to invest in the base infrastructure required to support housing. She hopes to get funding for a completed water line project that currently has debt financing of about $50 million. Airdrie Mayor Heather Spearman also welcomes the new funding, particularly for a Southwest recreation facility and a skating facility, both of which are included in the city's 10-year strategic plan.
Spearman is also optimistic about the deal between Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith to increase the pace of affordable housing construction. She believes that federal investments in Western Canada are crucial for creating essential infrastructures to accommodate growth.
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