Alberta, Ottawa discuss funding for homelessness, more talks expected in coming days [Video]

The federal housing minister and the Alberta minister in charge of the file have spoken about funding to tackle encampments and homelessness.

The phone conversation comes after Housing Minister Sean Fraser said in a statement Tuesday that Alberta, Ontario and Saskatchewan hadn’t formally responded to an offer of funding.

Officials say that during the call, Jason Nixon, Alberta’s minister of seniors, community and social services, expressed his government’s continued willingness to partner with Ottawa and to cost-match the additional federal funding.

They say Nixon and Fraser agreed to provide the initial funding to the “priority communities” of Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge and Red Deer.

Officials say the ministers have directed their respective camps to meet in the coming days to hammer out a deal that would see the money go to those communities on an urgent basis.

Nixon had earlier said his officials have been actively meeting with Ottawa on the …