Medicine Hat plans to move ahead with several housing supply initiatives. (CHAT News)

By Eli J. Ridder | @EliRidder

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Medicine Hat plans to move ahead with housing supply plans despite federal funding denial

Mar 5, 2024 | 5:10 PM

Medicine Hat is moving ahead with plans to help boost local housing supply despite getting denied funding from a federal housing program, a top city official said Tuesday.

A series of nine initiatives the city proposed when it applied to the Housing Accelerator Fund in 2023 can still come to fruition, development and infrastructure managing director Patrick Bohan told CHAT News.

“Of the nine, we had things like improving the process for getting new development and building permits issued, so we’re going to try to tackle that anyway,” Bohan said.

While the city said in a news release that it did not receive the reasons as to why it was denied the federal funding, Bohan added the federal officials were “complementary” about the application.

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The $4-billion accelerator program, administered by the federal mortgage and housing corporation, incentivizes local initiatives that remove barriers and accelerate the growth of housing supply.

Bohan said two of the city’s housing growth initiatives — one that would incentivize densification of urban properties through the building of infrastructure and another that would aim to clean up derelict lots to prepare for development — would have benefitted from the federal cash.

Pat Bohan speaks to CHAT News on March 5, 2024. (CHAT News)

Canada’s double-digit growth over the past five years is expected to reach Medicine Hat in the near future, Bohan said.

“We have every expectation that it’s going to be here, and we’re doing everything in our power to try and attract more investment and growth, and we believe that we’re going to be next,” Bohan said.

“In preparation for that, we need to ensure we have adequate housing.”

Mayor Linnsie Clark said Tuesday it was “disappointing” the city was denied money from the accelerator program.

“”I felt a little surprised,” Clark told anchor Dan Reynish during CHAT News at Noon.

Clark said she was not yet aware of how or if the denial could be appealed.