The federal government has launched the Canada Public Land Bank, a tool linking builders to federal properties available for lease and where plans can be submitted to turn existing facilities into housing.
The Canada Public Land Bank currently features 56 federal properties that have been identified as suitable for housing development, including five properties intended for immediate leasing, but the list will grow in the coming months.
“Available, accessible and affordable housing options are scarce, and too many people do not have a safe place to call home,” said Minister of Public Services and Procurement, Jean-Yves Duclos. “We need to do things differently and work in partnership to build more homes, faster. We are leading a Team Canada effort to unlock public lands for housing at a pace and scale not seen in generations, thus leveraging these properties to build strong communities and more affordable housing for the benefit of all Canadians.”
Canada Lands Company, in partnership with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, has launched a call for proposals from housing providers to access some of the Canada Public Land Bank properties available in Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, Ottawa and Montréal on a long-term leasing basis at a discounted value. The detailed proposal information can be accessed through direct links in the property listings in the land bank.
Additionally, the government says it is accelerating its real property disposal process to match the speed of builders and the urgency of getting affordable homes built. Public Services and Procurement Canada will adopt service standards to deliver these properties to interested partners for the purposes of housing. New measures will continue to be announced under the Public Lands for Homes Plan in the coming months.
Meanwhile, to provide feedback on the land bank and its properties, the federal government is launching a call for housing solutions through a secure online platform. Input provided will inform the development of these properties, including engaging the broader interest of Indigenous Peoples and organizations, community organizations, builders, and other partners and housing providers.
