B.C. left out of Carney’s announcement to build 4,000 housing units on federal lands

StackablOctober 7, 2025

Province has 3 federal properties that could be developed, but none chosen in initial announcement

The Canadian Press ยท Posted: Sep 15, 2025 10:11 AM PDT | Last Updated: September 15

B.C. Housing Minister Christine Boyle says Prime Minister Mark Carney’s announcement to build more housing on federal lands is a “good start” but does not include any B.C. projects.

Carney said Sunday that the newly created Build Canada Homes agency will oversee plans to build 4,000 homes on an initial six federally owned sites, but none of them are located in B.C. 

Speaking with CBC News later in the day, Boyle said being left out is “of course disappointing to us.”

“We have an abundance of shovel-ready affordable housing projects here and we’re looking forward to hearing what partnerships will be allocated to B.C. with the remaining funding, to be able to work with the federal government to continue to build the badly needed affordable homes for communities.”

The Canada Public Land Bank, which lists federal properties available for housing development, includes three properties in B.C.: one in Vancouver, one in Port Moody and one in Vernon.

The initial six sites chosen by the federal government are in Ottawa, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Longueuil, Que., and Dartmouth, N.S.

Boyle, who became minister of housing and municipal affairs in July following her role as minister of Indigenous relations and reconciliation, said she is “glad to see surplus federal land being used for housing,” because affordable housing is a challenge across the country.

She said she will continue to work with her federal counterpart on “long-term affordable housing solutions” for B.C. 

A man in a suit speaks at a podium as a crowd of construction workers watches in the background. Behind them is a house under construction.
Prime Minister Mark Carney participates in an announcement for the new federal agency Build Canada Homes with Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Gregor Robertson, in Ottawa, on Sunday. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)

The minister also told CBC News one of her priorities is addressing supportive housing in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, and wants to be able to partner with the federal government to help with that.

“I am optimistic from conversations that we will be able to get the federal government to be a partner in replacing single-room occupancy hotels and building dignified supportive housing in the Downtown Eastside and beyond that allows people to move out of tents or move out of inadequate housing and rebuild that housing stock for people who are struggling.”

In February, Vancouver city council voted to freeze construction on net-new supportive housing in the city to allow for a revitalization of aging housing stock.

There was opposition to the vote by 100 speakers and protesters outside city hall who argued the freeze will worsen homelessness in the city’s Downtown Eastside.