Federal government inaction scuttled a proposed affordable housing project in Langley Township, according to Langley – Aldergrove Conservative M.P. Tako van Popta.
In responding to the federal Liberals’ 2022 budget proposal June 6, van Popta took issue with the title of the plan, “A Plan to Grow Our Economy and Make Life More Affordable.”
He cited a proposal by Quadra Homes vice-president Shawn Bouchard to convert a Langley for-profit condo project to an affordable rental housing project.
“He and his business partners stepped up to the Prime Minister’s challenge for private enterprise to come up with big ideas to solve the housing affordability crisis,” van Popta told the House of Commons.
“They put in an application with the Township of Langley and the Township agreed with them,” van Popta went on to say. “It [the Township] has contributed $27 million to the project in the form of forgone fees and charges.”
“All they [Quadra] are looking for is a guaranteed long-term, low-interest mortgage commitment from CMHC [Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation] through the rental construction financing initiative. However, they put in a presentation to the Minister of Housing and are being ignored,” van Popta remarked.
He said he contacted the minister’s office to advocate for the project ” and was also ignored.”
As a result, he said, Quadra was “going back to a market condo project.”
“So much for creative thinking, so much for collaboration,” van Popta remarked.
“Once again, the government gets an A for announcements and an F on delivery.”
Afterwards, van Popta said that while Liberal Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland has said solving Canada’s housing crisis will demand a new spirit of cooperation, when “a team of credible people present her government with a collaborative, made-in-Canada proposal to build over 400 affordable rental homes, they are being ignored.”
READ ALSO: VIDEO: Tradition of annual seedling giveaway continues in Langley and Aldergrove
READ ALSO: VIDEO: Dinner for Ukraine, served by RCMP and fire officers, nets $10,000 for relief
Have a story tip? Email: editor@mapleridgenews.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.