Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made an announcement in Edmonton, Alta. (European Union)

By Canadian Press, Eli J. Ridder

Feds invest $175M to fast-track new Edmonton housing units

Feb 21, 2024 | 2:16 PM

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday announced $175 million in funding to fast-track more than 5,200 new housing units in Edmonton over the next three years.

Trudeau donned a white hard hat and yellow reflective vest to tour an affordable housing project in Edmonton before holding a news conference with the city’s mayor Amarjeet Sohi and Edmonton MP and cabinet minister Randy Boissonnault.

The money will flow through the federal Housing Accelerator program and be used to eliminate barriers to getting the homes built.

Trudeau said the funds will create more housing options in the city, including more rentals, affordable apartments, and housing near university and college campuses.

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Trudeau said over the past decade federal governments under both Liberal and Conservative banners stepped back from helping with housing and must re-engage.

“Federal governments of different stripes stepped back from the business of ensuring that housing was properly built right across the country in affordable ways, meeting the supply needs, meeting the growth of the country,” Trudeau said.

He says building affordable housing has become an intolerable challenge and it’s time to work with municipalities to break down barriers and get the work done.