The next edition of the Ottawa Report is scheduled to be sent at the end of April.
Latest News
Reminder: Complete Buy Canadian Questionnaire
Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC) is gathering input from construction stakeholders across Canada. They want to hear directly from industry professionals about sourcing decisions, barriers to using Canadian and interprovincial suppliers, and readiness to shift toward domestic products. The questionnaire now closes on April 30, and takes approximately 13 minutes to complete.
If you have not yet completed it, you can access the questionnaire here: Buy Canadian Construction Sector Questionnaire.
CPWA’s input is important and will help inform ongoing federal analysis and the development of HICC’s Buy Canadian policy. Thank you in advance for your time and participation.
Major Housing and Infrastructure Announcement in Ontario
On March 30, Prime Minister Mark Carney and Minister Gregor Robertson announced a new partnership between Canada and Ontario to increase housing supply, improve affordability, and invest in the infrastructure communities need to grow. As part of this partnership, we have reached an agreement with Ontario on the Build Communities Strong Fund. This fund will provide a combined $8.8 billion over 10 years to invest in housing enabling infrastructure and post-secondary related infrastructure in Ontario, while substantially lowering development charges in the province.
Development charges (DC) will be reduced by up to 50 percent for three years in Ontario’s largest and fastest-growing cities, covering approximately 80 percent of the province’s population. Reducing these levies will accelerate home building across the province. Municipalities that have already reduced residential DCs will have these recognized, provided they maintain the reductions for a three-year period. Ontario is committing to not levy other taxes that hinder the housing supply for three years.
As a part of this deal, Ontario and Canada have concluded negotiations on the delivery of federal support for several major public transit projects, including:
- The Ontario Line
- Eglinton Crosstown West Extension
- Scarborough Subway Extension
- Yonge North Subway Extension
- Hamilton Light Rail Transit network
- Waterfront East Transit ($1 billion federal contribution to be matched by Ontario/Toronto, to be funded via Canada Public Transit Fund)
- A signal of support for ongoing discussions around GO Expansion (GO 2.0)
The $8.8 billion towards housing and education infrastructure will be used for projects such as water/wastewater, transit systems, local roads, parks and recreation, and academic/student buildings.
In addition to Development Charges, requirements for this funding include:
- Supporting Canadian workers and business by encouraging the use of Canadian suppliers, content, and materials.
- Supporting good jobs and a strong workforce through factoring in the use of unionized labour and encouraging the leveraging of the Red Seal Program.
- Identifying employment opportunities through Community Employment Benefit Agreements.
- Supporting climate resilience and climate action and competitiveness in community infrastructure.
Today’s announcement is said to support almost 90,000 well-paying careers and inject more than $10 billion into Canada’s GDP.
Canada and Alberta Sign Infrastructure MOU
The Government of Canada and the Government of Alberta are advancing a new approach to accelerate major infrastructure development as part of Canada’s broader effort to build a more resilient, diversified economy. A draft Canada–Alberta Co‑operation Agreement on Environmental and Impact Assessment has been released for a 21‑day public consultation period.
The proposed agreement introduces a “one project, one review” assessment model for major infrastructure projects in Alberta. This streamlined process is intended to reduce duplication between federal and provincial reviews, enabling projects to move forward more quickly while maintaining strong environmental standards and respecting Indigenous rights.
The agreement is designed to support the development of strategic infrastructure, including energy pipelines, rail infrastructure, power generation facilities, and an integrated and expanded electricity transmission grid. By modernizing and accelerating infrastructure approvals, Canada and Alberta seek to attract investment, create thousands of high‑paying jobs, and strengthen Canada’s position as a global energy supplier.
Parliamentary Business
Senate Committee Reviews Climate Policy Progress
The Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources examined the 2025 Progress Report on Canada’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan, with testimony from senior officials at Environment and Climate Change Canada emphasizing climate resilience and the economic costs of inaction. During questioning by senators, the Assistant Deputy Minister at Environment and Climate Change Canada, Alison McDermott, underscored that the government closely tracks these costs, citing figures from the Insurance Bureau of Canada showing that extreme weather events caused $9.4 billion in insured losses in 2024, the most destructive year in Canadian history, and an additional $2.4 billion in losses in 2025. She noted that these impacts inform federal decision‑making and help justify investments in adaptation, including $6.8 billion dedicated to addressing climate risks such as wildfires, flooding, and extreme heat. The meeting reflected on the focus on disaster risk reduction, adaptation spending, and protecting communities and the economy against escalating climate impacts.
Federal Funding Awarded
Public Safety Canada Announces Funding for Search and Rescue Projects
Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience, Eleanor Olszewski, has launched a call for proposals under the Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund (SAR NIF).
The SAR NIF provides up to $6.5 million annually to support new and ongoing projects that enhance the effectiveness, efficiency, and innovation of SAR activities across Canada, including both prevention and emergency response.
In addition, the federal government announced a one-time investment of $2.86 million to fund seven SAR projects through the program. These projects will strengthen SAR capacity nationwide by improving training, leadership, governance, and volunteer recruitment and retention, as well as by enhancing community-level response capabilities and advancing tools that improve coordination and prevention.
Federal Government and New Brunswick Invest in Wastewater Infrastructure
In an effort to expedite home development, the Government of Canada, along with provincial and municipal partners, is investing over $2.6 million to upgrade wastewater infrastructure. The funding will support a new pumping station and sewer upgrades, enabling a mixed use development with up to 500 new housing units. The project unlocks infrastructure needed for large scale housing construction.
Federal Government Invests in Toronto Infrastructure
The Government of Canada is investing over $183 million in the City of Toronto through the community stream of the Build Communities Strong Fund to strengthen core infrastructure that supports housing growth and livable communities. The funding will help improve public transit accessibility, including upgrades to subway stations through the Toronto Transit Commission’s Easier Access Program, such as elevators, accessible doors, and enhanced wayfinding.
Federal Government Invests in Water Infrastructure Upgrades for Newfoundland
The Government of Canada, together with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and municipal partners, is investing over $35.6 million to upgrade water and wastewater infrastructure in ten municipalities across western Newfoundland. The funding supports ten projects aimed at strengthening essential municipal systems needed for future housing growth.
Federal Government and Transdev Canada Invest in Electric Transit
As part of Canada’s transition to a net-zero future, the federal government is supporting the electrification of public transit and school bus fleets. Transdev Canada received over $620,000 from the Zero Emission Transit Fund to develop an electrification plan for its Ontario school bus fleet, strengthening its readiness for zero-emission deployment. The company already operates more than 100 electric school buses nationwide and has been investing in electric school transportation since 2016.
Build Canada Homes Accelerates Affordable Housing in New Brunswick
In partnership with the Province of New Brunswick, the federal government is investing $150 million through the Build Canada Homes initiative to support the rapid construction of up to 1,200 shovel ready affordable homes, with the potential to expand to 1,500. The governments will work with municipalities to remove construction barriers, including expedited permitting, reduced or waived development fees, and temporary property tax relief where available. Approximately 30 percent of the homes will be built in small and rural communities, supporting construction activity beyond major urban centres.
