Feds stand firm on Ontario affordable housing threat [Video]

The Justin Trudeau government is standing firm on its threat to withhold funding from the Ontario government due to a lack of planned affordable housing.

“I don’t think it is responsible for me to transfer funding for the purpose of home building, for homes that are never going to be built,” Housing Minister Sean Fraser told reporters at a news conference Wednesday.

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His comments are the latest in a war of words with his provincial counterpart over $357 million in funding earmarked for affordable units.

In 2018, the previous Liberal Ontario government signed a 10-year bilateral deal pledging to deliver 19,660 affordable housing units.

In a letter sent to Ontario Housing Minister Paul Calandra last week, Fraser said the province’s tally is significantly lower, standing at about 1,184 new units by the end of 2024-2025.

“Ontario is lagging desperately behind …