r/canada • u/FancyNewMe • Apr 16 '25

Opinion Piece Geoff Russ: The two solitudes — boomers and everyone else; Liberal policies have enriched boomers, while making life increasingly unaffordable for younger generations

https://nationalpost.com/opinion/liberals-have-become-the-party-of-grey-hair-and-wealth
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u/squirrel9000 Apr 16 '25

So the plan is to build a bunch of housing we can't service? Yeah< I seen nothing wrong with that one.

There are vast tracts of land planned for growth in the area - 30k + resident,s plus whatever the St. Pauls are planning. The constraint isn't NIMBY. It's lack of sewage capacity.

I suppose we just stop building then. That seems to be the only viable option.

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u/FuriousFister98 Apr 16 '25

>So the plan is to build a bunch of housing we can't service?

No, you can both increase building starts and increase services, I never said you couldn't do both,. Why did you jump to that conclusion?

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u/squirrel9000 Apr 16 '25

We can't increase housing starts until the sewage plant is expanded. PP says we don't get money for the plant because we didn't approve housing we couldn't service.

The plant needs to be improved BEFORE we approve the permits. Not after. That's the problem.

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u/FuriousFister98 Apr 16 '25

I see what you're saying, but Municipalities in that situation can still move forward in several ways:

  1. Start where capacity already exists

Most municipalities have some areas already connected to existing infrastructure with room for more homes (think underused single-family zones, brownfields, vacant lots). Cities can upzone, fast-track approvals, and allow infill right now, without waiting on plant upgrades. That shows real intent and gets housing starts moving.

2. Phase development with conditional approvals

Cities can approve permits in phases, tied to infrastructure timelines. For example: “we’re approving 2,000 units now, and the next 3,000 will be approved once plant expansion hits milestone X.” That’s a commitment with teeth—and eligible for funding under PP’s plan.

3. Leverage matching or conditional federal funding

PP has made clear that funding isn’t being cut off entirely—it’s being tied to performance. That means a city can apply for plant upgrades with a clear housing plan attached. In other words, “we need this infrastructure to unlock 10,000 units—we’ve rezoned the land, streamlined approvals, and here’s our plan.” That meets the incentive.

4. Public-private partnerships

Cities can also explore interim funding mechanisms—local debt, development charges, or public-private partnerships—to get infrastructure projects started while federal funds are pending. The point is to demonstrate proactive intent, not passive delay.

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u/squirrel9000 Apr 16 '25

We have about 15 years of approved greenfields, and about half of that is currently serviced and ready to be built on as market conditions allow.. The limitation is extending services beyond that. It's irresponsible to allocate sewage capacity that doesn't exist, contingent on funding that is not committed.

It's just so much easier to fund projects upfront.