Feds announce $176 million in housing deals with more than 60 rural communities

Housing Minister Sean Fraser says the federal government will roll out more than 60 housing agreements with small and rural communities across the country over the next few weeks.

Fraser said in a news conference this morning that the deals are worth $176 million and will help build more than 50,000 housing units over the next decade.

Ottawa has been signing agreements directly with municipalities through its housing accelerator fund, which offers money in exchange for changes to bylaws and regulations that would support more home building.

The Liberal government has pitched the fund as a key pillar of its economic plan as it faces political pressure to address the country's housing crisis.

Fraser said, on top of the deals for smaller communities, the federal government has reached 36 agreements to date that will help construct more than 500,000 housing units over the next decade.

That includes a deal with the city of Ottawa worth $176 million announced on Monday.