Alberta mayors welcome more money for local housing infrastructure

Alberta mayors are optimistic about the futures of their communities after a government deal to fund housing infrastructure.

The federal and provincial governments came together in Red Deer on July 29 to announce a new program to accelerate homebuilding, with the funding set aside being used to set up water and wastewater infrastructure for homes.

$510 million is being put up by Ottawa through the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund, with Edmonton contributing roughly one-third of eligible project costs.

The province says that’s roughly $428 million in funding that can be unlocked.

“Anytime we’re investing in the base infrastructure that is required for to support housing, that is fabulous,” said Okotoks mayor Tanya Thorn.

The money is open to municipalities like Okotoks, a town of 33,000 people south of Calgary.

With this fund now open, Thorn says they hope to get back some money on a completed water line project.

“We didn’t actually receive federal funding or a substantial amount of federal funding for our water pipeline. So we just built a supplemental water pipeline to our community,” said Thorn. “So we will be going back on that looking for funding for that because we currently have debt financed about $50 million of that project.

Approximately 80 kilometres south, Airdrie mayor Heather Spearman is also pleased to see money being put up by the federal and provincial governments for infrastructure, especially with a few major projects underway.

“We are going to be fast tracking the build for a Southwest recreation facility for our community,” said Spearman. “For many people that doesn’t sound like a critical piece of infrastructure, but having the infrastructure in place to support something like that is so important.”

This build, as well as the city’s skating facility, are included in the city’s 10-year strategic plan, projects Spearman says are important to keep Airdrie growing and able to serve the needs of residents.

“We are also one of the largest communities in Western Canada without a hospital,” said Spearman.

During his stop in Red Deer to announce the bursary for water infrastructure, Prime Minister Mark Carney also announced he and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith are working on a deal to increase the pace of affordable housing construction.

It’s developments of this nature that has Spearman optimistic about what’s possible when all levels of government are investing in Western Canada.