Federal government to implement housing commitments before Cabinet retreat in Halifax

Housing Minister Sean Fraser is anticipated to reveal details on a Liberal commitment to lease federal land to developers for constructing affordable housing on Sunday just before the full federal cabinet starts a three-day retreat in Halifax.

The annual end-of-summer cabinet session arrives three weeks prior to Parliament returning for the fall session and is likely the final summer retreat for this cabinet before the next election.

It might be the ultimate opportunity for this government to connect with voters before seeking another mandate.

One year ago, a cabinet retreat in Charlottetown emphasized housing due to rapid immigration and lackluster housing starts causing a drop in availability and an increase in prices.

However, the Liberals departed that retreat without any concrete announcements, resulting in ongoing dips in their poll numbers as they failed to convince Canadians they have the solution to a critical problem that has worsened under their administration.

This time around, they aim to showcase significant initiatives starting Sunday afternoon when Fraser and Public Services Minister Jean-Yves Duclos promote efforts to convert underused or vacant federal land and properties into affordable housing.

Former Liberal chief of staff Marci Surkes, now the chief strategy officer at government relations firm Compass Rose, emphasized that housing will be pivotal in this retreat and the Liberal agenda moving forward.

“Undoubtedly, the government has made significant policy strides and investments since last year, and some are starting to yield results, yet the focus on supply must remain a priority,” she stated. “The relief is not substantial as of now.”