RED DEER, AB, July 29, 2026 /CNW/ -- The world is changing rapidly. In response, a confident Canada is choosing to build. Canada's new government is building major projects – new ports, mines, highways, and energy corridors – that will unlock billions of dollars in new investment and connect Canadian businesses to new export markets around the world. In parallel, we are building strong communities with homes people can afford, healthcare closer to home, and infrastructure you can rely on.
Alberta has a goal to support and build 25,000 additional affordable homes across the province by 2031. Achieving that starts with investing in the foundations that make growth possible: drinking water, wastewater, stormwater systems, and solid waste infrastructure. In municipalities across Canada, this essential infrastructure is aging and operating at capacity, creating bottlenecks that slow housing construction and, in some communities, halt it altogether.
Today's agreement changes that. The Prime Minister, Mark Carney, joined the Premier of Alberta, Danielle Smith, to announce a new partnership between the Government of Canada and the Government of Alberta. Over the next eight years, Canada's new government will invest more than $510 million in Alberta's local infrastructure through the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF). This agreement will enable municipalities across Alberta to build or upgrade the essential drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and solid waste infrastructure needed to build more homes in the province, faster.
In addition to the federal investment, Alberta will contribute a minimum of one-third of eligible project costs for projects led by municipal governments, and at least $100 million of the funding provided under the agreement will be directed to projects in rural and Indigenous communities. Alberta will submit projects totalling at least $25 million in federal contributions for review and approval by November 30, 2026, and all other projects by March 31, 2030.
Today's agreement builds on the federal government's work over the past year to supercharge housing construction across the country. In September, we launched Build Canada Homes (BCH) to build housing at scale and speed. Since its launch, BCH has already committed to nearly 15,000 units through 16 partnerships, with more than 1,900 homes already under construction in communities all over the country, including in Alberta. We've eliminated the GST on homes up to $1 million for first-time homebuyers – saving Canadians up to $50,000 on the purchase of their first home. We are scaling up local infrastructure through the $51 billion Build Communities Strong Fund – from community centres and water infrastructure to hospitals, colleges and universities, and public transit.
In a more dangerous and uncertain world, Canada is focused on what we can control: building a stronger, more resilient, more united Canadian economy. We are working in the true spirit of cooperative federalism, partnering with provinces and territories to align funding, land, and local expertise to deliver homes at speed and at scale.
Quotes
"Alberta has an ambitious plan to scale up homebuilding and our government is backing it. We're partners in this mission, working in the true spirit of cooperative federalism. From transformative energy projects to the water infrastructure in your communities, we are building bigger, faster, and better because we're building together. We're building a stronger Alberta and a stronger Canada for all."
-- The Rt. Hon. Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada
"Strong communities start with the infrastructure to support them. By investing in the water and wastewater systems communities rely on, we're doing what it takes to build more housing, attract new investment, and keep pace with Alberta's growth."
-- The Hon. Danielle Smith, Premier of Alberta
"Partnering with Alberta, we're delivering future housing opportunities to help get housing projects off the ground. With programs such as this one, and organisations like Build Canada Homes, we are partnering with governments, builders, and communities to drive innovation in the homebuilding industry and bring the right partners together to build and accelerate the delivery of more affordable homes for Canadians."
-- The Hon. Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada
"Alberta is growing faster than almost anywhere in the country, and communities need the infrastructure to keep pace. Our government knows that by investing in essential systems like drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and solid waste infrastructure, this agreement will help communities across Alberta unlock new housing opportunities, support growing populations, and build the foundations needed for long-term prosperity."
-- The Hon. Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada
Quick facts
- The Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF) invests in the construction and upgrading of the core public infrastructure that enables housing growth and densification in communities across Canada.
- Across all CHIF agreements across the country, the federal government is investing a total of $3.65 billion in local infrastructure, supporting an average of 2,100 jobs over 10 years, including 750 in Alberta.
- In each CHIF agreement, provinces must allocate at least 20% of their federal contribution to rural or Indigenous community projects.
- CHIF funding can be used for projects that improve drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems, as well as initiatives that preserve existing capacity, enhance system reliability, or implement waste-diversion measures to reduce landfill use.
- CHIF funding is allocated to support long-term provincial and territorial priorities. Provinces and territories must finalise an agreement with the Government of Canada to receive funding.
Associated link
This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca
SOURCE Prime Minister's Office
PMO Media Relations: [email protected]
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