By Canadian Press

Smith says she expects Poilievre to work with provinces to give cities housing cash

Apr 12, 2024 | 9:15 AM

OTTAWA — Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she has no problem with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s proposal to give municipalities a building bonus, so long as he goes through her provincial government.

Smith gave a speech to conservatives at an annual networking conference in Ottawa this morning, days after tabling a bill that seeks to block Alberta cities from negotiating deals with the federal government.

She says it was prompted by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government announcing funding deals with individual cities like Calgary and Edmonton under its Housing Accelerator Fund.

Smith routinely accuses Trudeau of disrespecting provincial jurisdiction, especially when it comes to advancing policies to fight climate change, but says the new housing deals were the final straw.

Poilievre has proposed his own suite of measures to speed up housing construction, including offering bonuses to cities that build more housing — and threatening to withhold money from those that don’t.

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Smith says her policy of ensuring Ottawa works through her province to deliver housing money will apply “no matter who is in the prime minister’s chair.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 12, 2024.

The Canadian Press