Ottawa will receive $176 million for construction of housing units
Local:
CBC: Ottawa will be granted $176 million in housing funding from the federal government to accelerate the construction of 4,400 housing units over three years.
The funding comes from the federal government’s $4-billion Housing Accelerator Fund.
The city updated the list of commitments for housing construction on Monday, including funding non-profit housing projects, easing zoning rules to allow taller buildings, providing financial incentives and streamlining planning approvals.
Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe refered the money as a “huge downpayment” and said the construction program depends not only on the City of Ottawa, but also on the development community and homebuyers.
National:
CBC: A federal report released this Tuesday highlights the urgent need for action regarding tent encampments across Canada, describing the situation as a “life and death crisis.”
Federal Housing Advocate Marie-Josee Houle started a review on homeless encampments since February 2023, and released the report this Tuesday.
It reveals that 20 to 25 per cent of homeless people in Canada live in tent encampments, emphasizing issues within the housing and homelessness system.
“It is a physical manifestation of exactly how broken our housing and homelessness system is from coast to coast to coast in Canada,” said Houle. “It needs urgent measures.”
Houle’s report calls for the implementation of a national encampments’ response plan by Aug. 31.
International
CTV: The U.S. Senate approved a $95.3 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan early Tuesday morning.
While some Republicans opposed the package, arguing for a focus on domestic issues first, 22 Republicans joined nearly all Democrats in passing it by a 70-29 vote.
Supporters stressed the importance of aiding Ukraine to counter potential national security threats from Russian.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer emphasized that the bill signifies unwavering American leadership and strength in the global.
Yet, the package’s fate in the House is still uncertain, facing potential challenges from hardline Republicans aligned with former President Donald Trump, the leading contender for the GOP presidential nomination.
