Provincial-Territorial Meeting of Ministers responsible for Housing

Provincial and territorial ministers responsible for housing met in Quebec City today and agreed to a framework for an affordable housing program that is flexible and respects their different priorities and strategies.

Provinces and territories have taken many actions to help make affordable housing available in their jurisdictions and are looking for federal recognition of these investments.

Since the last Provincial-Territorial meeting in August, the federal minister responsible for housing, Minister Alfonso Gagliano, has shown openness to provincial and territorial concerns. Work remains to be done on parameters that would allow provinces and territories to better respond to the needs of citizens, and in particular to those of low and moderate income households.

At their meeting with Minister Gagliano tomorrow, provincial and territorial ministers await a favourable response to their proposal, which would allow them to act to significantly supplement affordable housing programs in the short term.

"Our meeting in Quebec City marks an important milestone in achieving provincial and territorial objectives for affordable housing," said Tim Sale, the Manitoba Minister of Family Services and Housing, who chaired today's meeting. "The provincial and territorial ministers are confident that we can find innovative and practical solutions in all parts of Canada."

Ministers also renewed their request to the federal government, in collaboration with the provincial and territorial governments, to examine ways to improve the tax and business climate for affordable rental housing in the longer term.

Ministers will meet with the Federal minister tomorrow and expect to reach an agreement on their proposed framework and to report on the progress of their respective program initiatives.

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Further information:

Riva Harrison
Cabinet Communications
Government of Manitoba
(204) 945-1494