WEHBA welcomes Canada's investment in Burlington's housing supply
February 28, 2024
Federal MPs Pam Damoff and Karina Gould recently announced the City of Burlington will receive $21 million in federal funding through the Housing Accelerator Fund. This funding will assist Burlington with its ambitious housing pledge of building 29,000 new homes over the next decade.
Through Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC), the Housing Accelerator Fund provides incentive funding to Burlington that is tied to the number of new housing starts the municipality can facilitate. CMHC states the funding is to support “the development of complete, low-carbon and climate-resilient communities that are affordable, inclusive, equitable and diverse.”
Close partnership
“The City of Burlington and the development industry have been working under a renewed close partnership to facilitate the more than doubling our current rates of housing construction with a strong focus on bringing more units from the development pipeline through to the permit process,” says Mike Collins-Williams, CEO of the West End Home Builder’s Association (WEHBA). “This is a monumental task that requires collaboration between all three levels of government and the private sector. WEHBA is pleased to see the federal government coming to the table a significant amount of money to help us collectively facilitate the construction of significantly more homes.”
Burlington’s housing supply crisis means too many people are unable to find a home that meets their needs and budget. Addressing this crisis means ensuring more supply is built and is readily available. The Federal Housing Accelerator Fund will help fund infrastructure and remove barriers to the construction of new housing units.
Accelerate approvals
“The federal dollars will enable the City of Burlington to accelerate planning and permit approvals and upgrade infrastructure for new home construction in Burlington,” says Collins-Williams. “This will enable our members to deliver on the ambitious city objective of 29,000 newly constructed homes over the next 10 years.” The announcement will help set Burlington on the right path for ensuring more Burlingtonians can find a place to live, work and raise a family.”