As the City of Belleville decides whether to once again seek federal funding through the Housing Accelerator Fund to help address the region’s housing crisis, Bay of Quinte MP Ryan Williams is calling on the Liberal government to provide more support to local communities and beyond.
Belleville Council is discussing the matter at its Monday meeting.
The city was previously denied funding but staff are recommending council approve a new application for $16.8 million.
Williams is also sending a letter to Housing Minister Sean Fraser asking the government to make the right decision to support the communities of the Bay of Quinte to ensure that they receive their fair share of funding to tackle the housing issue.
Williams notes only one municipality in the entire Eastern Ontario region has been approved for money through the fund and that communities have collectively spent hundreds of hours of staff time trying to secure much-needed funding with no success.
Municipalities that didn’t receive funding in the first round of the Housing Accelerator Fund have another opportunity to apply before the second-round deadline on September 13.
“Across Canada, many cities have been left out in the cold when it comes to receiving vital accelerator funding. The Trudeau government’s failure to ensure equitable distribution of these funds is creating further strain on municipalities that are already struggling to meet the housing demands of their residents,” said MP Williams. “It’s time this government took real action to fix Canada’s housing problem rather than paying lip service to communities in crisis.”
