QUESTION PERIOD — Infrastructure and Communities
Support for Municipalities
September 24, 2024
My question is for the government representative.
I’m very proud today to say that my office has released our report On the Front Lines of Canadian Governance, the final report of my Senate inquiry into the challenges and opportunities of Canadian municipalities.
The report repeatedly underlines the challenges facing our cities and towns in accessing funding resources, especially cities that are often at loggerheads with their provincial governments.
The federal Housing Accelerator Fund model has already led to deals with several Alberta municipalities — including Edmonton, Calgary, Airdrie, Stony Plain and Sylvan Lake — to help them expedite construction of new housing.
Would the federal government give any consideration to using that same Housing Accelerator Fund model to help municipalities deal with other pressing infrastructure needs?
Thank you for your question and for highlighting one of the challenges in our federation, which is, as we know, that municipalities under our Constitution are — pardon the expression — creatures of the provinces.
In that regard, the government is always working and attempting to collaborate with provinces and territories to not only benefit provinces and territories as a whole but also address the particular needs within municipalities, large and small.
It is true that with regard to the housing crisis, the government has initiated discussions and entered into understandings with municipalities, because they are on the front lines, whether it’s through dealing with zoning or other matters that have a direct impact on that.
What other measures the government might consider is a matter left for speculation, and I have no information in that respect.
Thank you very much.
One might think it could help if we had a federal ministry that had specific responsibility for municipalities. Is there something that could be done to help focus the government’s attention on the crises facing our cities, towns and counties?
I will certainly pass on this very intriguing suggestion. The constitutional lawyer in me is reluctant, though, to say more than that, because this would be a major step and, quite frankly, colleagues — this is a place to be able to speak plainly — a provocation to far too many provinces.
But there may be other ways in which the municipalities can work and be assisted. The government is always looking at ways to improve how it does business.
