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Kahlon pushes back on claims СÀ¶ÊÓƵ housing plan is reheated leftovers

Housing minister says СÀ¶ÊÓƵ Builds program a 'game-changer.'
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Ravi Kahlon, СÀ¶ÊÓƵ's minister of housing, appeared at the Union of СÀ¶ÊÓƵ Municipalities 2024 Housing Summit where he spoke about the newly announced СÀ¶ÊÓƵ Builds program.

СÀ¶ÊÓƵ Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon is brushing off criticism the province’s newly announced СÀ¶ÊÓƵ Builds program is not as groundbreaking the government is touting it to be.

He responded to critiques that it resembles an existing СÀ¶ÊÓƵ Housing program while at the Union of СÀ¶ÊÓƵ Municipalities (СÀ¶ÊÓƵ) 2024 Housing Summit in Vancouver on Tuesday.

“Disappointing announcement from Eby today. Recycling old funding for another Government-knows-best Photo Op won't build new homes,” said СÀ¶ÊÓƵ United Leader Kevin Falcon in a post on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, in response to Premier David Eby’s unveiling of key program details Tuesday morning.

Kahlon was asked by media attending the СÀ¶ÊÓƵ conference if the program is another iteration of the HousingHub, a division within СÀ¶ÊÓƵ Housing that allowed developers to access low-cost financing in exchange for building affordable housing.

“The СÀ¶ÊÓƵ HousingHub was created in 2018, in a different market and in a time pre-COVID where we don't have the complexity that we have now. We have dollars now to use government lands to build affordable housing, which we have not been able to do in the province since wartime efforts. I do believe this is a game-changer,” the housing minister said.

The program aims to provide low-cost financing to build rental property developments on land owned by governments, First Nations and non-profits, and is geared towards creating housing for what the province describes as middle-income earners.

The government said it has identified 20 potential sites that would deliver up to 4,000 rental units. The program aims to build this housing within 12-18 months rather than the current average of three to five years that it typically takes to construct a rental project.

“СÀ¶ÊÓƵ Builds is not an affordable housing program, it's not supportive housing, it's not subsidized housing. It's really meant to close the gap above where СÀ¶ÊÓƵ Housing programs end and where we … start to really see a slowdown in rental development if there isn't an intervention,” said Lisa Helps, executive lead for the СÀ¶ÊÓƵ Builds project origination at СÀ¶ÊÓƵ Housing.

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