Tom Lancaster’s Post

🚀 Exciting News for Municipalities across Canada 🏗️ Today, the federal government of Canada announced a new $6-billion Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund aimed at tackling the housing crisis. What we love is the emphasis on the construction and upgrading of essential infrastructure, including water, wastewater, stormwater, and solid waste systems. This is a challenge we've heard ALOT of our clients and partners speak about, and it's nice to see some action. With $1 billion dedicated to municipalities for urgent infrastructure needs, the opportunity for impactful and sustainable development that goes beyond the immediate housing crisis is immense. BUT, there's a lot of areas where this could go wrong. If projects are rushed, communities could be left with infrastructure that's not resilient, fails to meet future needs, has unsustainable maintenance costs, or is just flat out poorly planned. Let's make sure these projects start on solid ground and work together to build a future where housing is accessible, and infrastructure meets the needs of our growing communities. You can read more here: https://lnkd.in/dRzd6Ac2 #HousingCrisis #InfrastructureInvestment #MunicipalDevelopment #dependbuild

Housing, Infrastructure & Communities Canada: "As you note (Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund) program requirements include that municipalities & regional govts with a population of 300,000 or more must implement a 3-year freeze on increasing the cost of development charges" https://lnkd.in/gnfsFwUU

A big day for federal infrastructure news! 🏘 🏗 🚍 🚰 The federal government is creating a new $6-billion Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund, which will go to the construction and upgrading of water, wastewater, stormwater and solid waste infrastructure, something cities have said is critical to building more housing. $1 billion will go directly to municipalities, and the remaining $5 billion will be unlocked as part of deals with provincial governments to make missing middle housing more viable in larger urban centres. If a provincial government doesn't reach a deal, the money goes directly to the cities. Building on the success of the Housing Accelerator Fund, another $400 million is being added to the HAF envelope. This will hopefully re-open the door to funding for municipalities that have ambitious housing plans. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eyTaYe9W

🏡🇨🇦The federal government is investing billions in a new Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund to address the housing crisis. Provinces and territories must meet certain conditions to access the funding, such as allowing more types of homes and freezing development charges. Additional funding is also going to a housing accelerator fund. These measures are part of the government's efforts to tackle housing issues. What are your thoughts about this new initiative by the Canadian government?

As the population of Canada and British Columbia continues to grow, it is crucial to build and maintain the infrastructure necessary for economic growth. Earlier this month, three levels of government finalized a deal that will provide over $1.6 billion in federal funding to communities in B.C. for the next five years to build and maintain critical infrastructure. Local governments in B.C. will receive $300 million in funding in 2024-2025 to address infrastructure needs such as public transit, water and waste systems, and the housing crisis. Companies contracted by local governments in B.C. for infrastructure work will need to navigate a complex regulatory environment and consult with impacted Indigenous Nations. Read more below: https://lnkd.in/grz7waH7 

Canada needs more housing, and to get there, we need the infrastructure -- water lines, streets, sewers, storm drains and all the other essential municipal services -- that make new homes possible.  But this critical infrastructure isn’t cheap no matter how it is financed. So, who’s going to pay for all of that? Given their tight financial positions, municipalities need to introduce new innovative approaches to take the pressure off the public purse by leveraging private capital, while preserving public ownership. Canada’s challenge to solve the housing crisis is also a challenge in how we finance infrastructure. Join CityTalk Live to hear from an expert panel on how Canada can generate more and better tools to invest in our growing communities. Plus, get an exclusive snapshot of CUI’s latest report, “A Jump Start: Measures to Finance Housing-enabling Infrastructure," to be released next week. https://lnkd.in/gHR-_nfn

Nine major road projects in South Carolina, funded by the South Carolina Transportation Infrastructure Bank, are facing a cumulative shortfall of $470.7 million due to inflation and delays. These projects, including three Interstate 77 exit projects in York County, were initially budgeted at $991 million but now require additional funding. The bank has been asked to contribute $185 million more for three of the projects. The rising costs are partly due to the 35-50% escalation in construction prices since the pandemic. This funding gap could delay future projects, as state and local governments struggle to cover overruns. Despite these challenges, state officials are exploring solutions to keep the projects moving forward while balancing financial constraints. #SouthCarolina #Roadway #Funding

Aimed at supporting the cost of #building infrastructure for new residential density and population growth, the Government of Canada has announced the new $6 billion Canada #Housing Infrastructure Fund – via ReNew Canada

Oh come on Brian. Despite your complaints that the Government of Alberta’s decision is about “politics and politics alone” your commentary reads like a political campaign speech, not a fact driven article. While I appreciate your focus on those who have less, it is also important to keep an eye on those who will end up footing the bill - the tax payers. This project has been a metaphorical runaway train. The capital scope has gone one direction - up, while the physical scope has gotten smaller and smaller. The actual number of people served by this line is de minimus. I throw this project into the same bin as the ghost lines in Calgary, aka the dedicated bus lanes. Why ghost lines? There never is anyone on them. The carbon footprint of these “environmental” lanes through the construction, concrete and congestion (call it the C3 so we can assign jargon to it) is miles bigger than had we done sensible planning in this city. What would my suggestion have been (never bitch without a proposal)? Bus lanes and HOV lanes, where between prescribed periods, nobody but buses and HOV vehicles can go there. Enforce through HD cameras and exorbitant fines. If you a) want to change behaviours then you b) need to make the current behaviours less desireable and c) make the proposed solution something that people consider. Let’s not even venture down the path of the city purchasing $500 million in electric buses for a northern climate, where the reliability of said vehicles has been questionable at best (see our northern neighbours in Edmonton - maybe they can be repurposed for shelter). We were meant to do a “pilot project” first, but never mind, the great minds at city hall know best, despite lacking any resident knowledge to make such a proclamation. The City of Calgary, the people of Alberta and the people of Canada are sick of reckless spending by governments. My kids and yours are the ones who will have to live with this fiscal burden. We can say it’s not our problem, because frankly it isn’t. When I see a city council that cannot find $30 million in a $5 billion budget, the system is broken. I have been an executive and managing partner in several businesses, and never have they been run where the administration tells management what to do. As the saying goes to every politician, it’s my money not yours. #greenline #calgary #taxes #transit #taxpayers Jyoti Gondek Sonya Sharp Jennifer Wyness Jasmine Mian Richard Pootmans Terry Wong Courtney Walcott Gian-Carlo Carra Andre Chabot Kourtney Penner Evan Spencer Dan McLean Peter Demong

Canada Launches $6B Housing Infrastructure Fund to Boost Development On November 7, 2024, the Canadian government officially launched the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF), a $6 billion initiative aimed at accelerating the construction and enhancement of essential infrastructure to support housing development. Key Details: - Funding Streams: CHIF allocates $1 billion directly to municipalities and Indigenous communities, with at least 10% reserved for the latter. - Eligibility Criteria: To qualify, municipalities with populations over 30,000 must permit four units per lot in serviced residential areas. Additionally, those with populations exceeding 300,000 must implement a three-year freeze on development charge increases beyond April 2, 2024, rates. - Application Timeline: Applications are open until March 31, 2025, targeting projects substantially completed by September 2031. Click here to learn more: https://lnkd.in/gem-9Wm6