The Prime Minister joined the Premier of British Columbia, David Eby, to announce a landmark new partnership between the Government of Canada and the Government of British Columbia. Over the next 10 years, Canada’s new government is investing more than $5 billion in British Columbia’s local infrastructure.
Through the Build Communities Strong Fund, Canada will invest nearly $1.6 billion – matched by British Columbia for a total of $3.2 billion – to help finance the infrastructure communities need to support more housing, while reducing municipal development charges that get passed onto home buyers, so more people can afford those homes. Under this agreement, development charges on multi-unit housing projects across British Columbia will be reduced by up to 50% for three years. To further increase housing supply, Canada and British Columbia will launch the new Canada-British Columbia Partnership on Condo Conversion to convert more than 2,200 vacant condo units into affordable homes across B.C.
The federal agreement also agreed to partner with the province to upgrade and expand hospitals, emergency rooms, urgent care centres, medical schools, and other critical health facilities. We will contribute more than $600 million so more British Columbians can get faster health care when they need it. Through the Canada Public Transit Fund, Canada will invest $2.5 billion over 10 years to build new transit projects and increase service access and frequency in high-traffic areas. The federal government will also contribute $100 million to build new infrastructure for Tumbler Ridge, including a new secondary school and renovations to the local health centre.
As the federal government builds big and connects globally, we’re also building local and connecting people. We’re building new hospitals, transit, and wastewater systems – through the new $51-billion Build Communities Strong Fund.
Canada and British Columbia announced a landmark new agreement to help build more homes, bring down housing costs, and modernise infrastructure across the province. We will do this by reducing development charges, converting vacant condos into affordable housing; and, investing in community infrastructure – from schools and hospitals to public transit.
Under this agreement, development charges on multi-unit housing projects across British Columbia will be reduced by up to 50% for three years. That means lower upfront costs, greater certainty for builders, and more affordable homes for you to buy or rent. For a new unit, this could reduce costs by up to $40,000. We are also increasing housing supply by making better use of what’s already built – working with British Columbia to convert thousands of vacant condo units into affordable homes for British Columbians.
Through the Canada Public Transit Fund, we’re helping build new transit infrastructure projects, bus routes, and modernise transit networks across BC, including support for projects such as the Surrey-Langley Sky Train extension. We’re partnering with the province to upgrade and expand hospitals, emergency rooms, urgent care centres, and other critical health facilities so more British Columbians can get faster health care when they need it.
And through our new contributions for the community of Tumbler Ridge, we are helping build a new school for bright kids to learn, grow, and dream, and better facilities for the incredible healthcare workers who support those in need.
We’re building British Columbia strong to build Canada strong for all.
