Federal funding injects $25.6 million to accelerate home construction in Barrie
The federal government is injecting $25.6 million to fast-track and support the development of thousands of new homes in the City of Barrie.
The funding, through the Canadian government's Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), aims to eliminate barriers hindering the construction of much-needed housing and get shovels in the ground on more than 4,100 new homes over the next decade.
"We are dedicated to maximizing the impact of every dollar granted to ensure that Barrie residents have access to permanent, attainable, and affordable housing options that align with the pace of our city's rapid growth," said Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall.
The City intends to build 680 new homes over the next three years.
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
Barrie's Action Plan outlines nine initiatives designed to streamline the housing development process. These include permitting four units on one lot without the need for rezoning, making city-owned lands available for housing projects, and expanding the City's Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan to include forgivable loans for secondary suites.
The initiative aims to cut through the red tape and expedite the permitting process for at least 100,000 new homes within a span of three years, with the federal government hoping for the creation of over 750,000 permitted new homes nationwide over the next decade.
"The goal here is to make sure that we have housing available for young people, housing available for those in the workforce, housing available for those that are hurting," the mayor added.
However, navigating the complexities of housing development is no easy feat, particularly considering housing falls largely under the jurisdiction of municipal and provincial governments.
"But if we put federal money on the table and say to cities we're going to reach a deal with you where we directly fund you based on the reforms you're going to implement, we've seen an extraordinary uptake in that offer," said Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities.
While the Ontario government was notably absent for Thursday's announcement, Premier Doug Ford is scheduled to arrive in Barrie on Friday to make a housing announcement of his own.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Liberal MP says she's leaving politics over disrespectful dialogue, threats, misogyny
Liberal MP Pam Damoff says she won't run again in the next federal election, saying she has experienced misogyny, disrespectful dialogue in politics and threats to her life.
Concerns about Plexiglass prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall Plexiglass barriers.
Federal employees will be required to spend 3 days a week in the office
Starting in September, public servants in the core public administration will be required to work in the office a minimum of three days a week. The Treasury Board Secretariat says executives will need to be in the office four days per week.
OPP officer said 'someone's going to get hurt' before wrong-way Hwy. 401 crash
As multiple Durham police cruisers were chasing a robbery suspect on the wrong side of Highway 401 Monday night, an Ontario Provincial Police officer shared his concerns, telling a dispatcher, "Someone's going to get hurt."
Ont. woman who faked pregnancy to defraud doulas arrested again on similar charges
Victims of a Brantford, Ont., woman who was sentenced to house arrest earlier this year for defrauding and deceiving doulas say they’re not surprised she’s been apprehended again on similar charges.
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Göring
Archeologists have unearthed the skeletons of five people, missing their hands and feet, at a former Nazi military base in Poland.
Poilievre returns to House unrepentant for calling Trudeau 'wacko,' Speaker not resigning
An unrepentant Pierre Poilievre returned to the House of Commons on Wednesday to pepper the prime minister about his drug decriminalization policies after being booted the day prior for refusing to take back calling Justin Trudeau 'wacko' over his approach to the issue.
Construction begins on LGBTQ2S+ national monument in Ottawa
Shovels have hit the ground for constuction on Canada's LGBTQ2S+ national monument in Ottawa.
B.C. man awarded $5,000 in damages in first-of-it-kind intimate image case
In a first-of-its-kind case, a B.C. tribunal has ruled on a dispute involving the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, awarding damages and issuing orders that the photos be destroyed and taken offline.