Ottawa wants to tie access to $6B in new housing funds to fourplex approval

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a new $6-billion housing infrastructure fund in Dartmouth, NS for municipalities and provinces to speed up housing-related development.

One of the conditions is that four-unit dwellings be allowed by default in municipal zoning rules, rather than being assessed on a case-by-case basis.

This is the top line in a host of conditions to access the funding, which also includes a greater push for “missing middle homes” such as duplexes, triplexes, townhouses and other types of multi-unit homes.

In addition, as-of-right or pre-approved zoning must be given to homes in the upcoming Housing Design Catalogue to access the new federal funding.

“We’re not just going to put this money on the table, wash our hands of the issue and walk away. We’re going to insist that our partners make certain kinds of changes that make it easier and faster to build homes in this country,” Housing Minister Sean Fraser said.

All of this is part of the Liberals’ plan to pre-announce various budget measures ahead of tabling the government’s key fiscal document on April 16.

Late last year, Fraser announced plans to revive an old wartime housing program with the creation of a catalogue of prefabricated, factory-built home designs.

The goal is to standardize designs that can get through municipal project approvals more quickly, and make it easier for developers to build them in larger numbers.

Since taking over the portfolio, Fraser has been making a broader push for more multi-unit homes calling on provinces and municipalities to “legalize housing.”

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has ruled out a recommendation from that province’s Housing Affordability Task Force that called for the pre-approval of such dwellings.

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