B.C. left out of housing announcement by Carney to build 4,000 units on federal lands

B.C. NDP Leader David Eby, back right, and Housing Minister Christine Boyle walk past the Bloedel Conservatory as they arrive for a campaign stop in Vancouver, B.C., Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

British Columbia’s housing minister Christine Boyle says Prime Minister Mark Carney’s announcement to build more housing on federal lands is a “good start” but does not include any B.C. projects.

Carney said Sunday that the newly created Build Canada Homes agency will oversee plans to build 4,000 homes on six federally owned sites, but none of them are located in B.C.

Boyle says in a written statement that B.C. has an “abundance of shovel ready affordable housing projects,” adding that the province looks forward to hearing which projects will eventually receive federal funding.

Boyle, who became minister of housing and municipal affairs in July 17 following her role as minister of Indigenous relations and reconciliation, says she is “glad to see surplus federal land being used for housing,” because affordable housing is a challenge across the country.

Boyle says she will continue to work with her federal counterpart on “long-term affordable housing solutions” for B.C.

The federal land bank listing federal properties available for housing development includes three properties in B.C.: two in Metro Vancouver, one in Vernon.

This report by Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press, was first published September 14, 2025.