These 56 federal properties are now 'available' to become housing

The federal government is giving an updated glimpse into which of its properties could be converted into housing by developers as it tries to boost supply and lower the cost of living.

The nextstep in the Public Lands for Homes Plan laid out in the spring is a list of properties, currently numbering56 across the country,that the government saidhave the potential to support housing and are "available" to be developed.

Five of these properties are open for proposals as of earlier this week when this first batch of listings was released. Theothersare for interested groups to ask about.

The list will "grow regularly," according to a news release Thursday about two such properties in Ottawa.

• Federal gov't plans to lease public landsthrough new housing strategy

Ontario has more than half of the listed properties with a total of 32.

Ottawa is the top community with 22 properties, or about 40 per cent of the total. Some werepreviously listed as surplus.

Kingston has two on King Street W. near Sir John A. Macdonald Boulevard.

Families, Children and Social DevelopmentMinister Jenna Sudds, who's also an Ottawa MP, announced Thursday that a listing withtwo neighbouring addressesisopen for proposals are in Wateridge Village near the Canada Aviation and Space Museum.

The plan there is to build approximately 495 units,with a minimum of 30 per cent or about 150 unitsdedicated to affordable housing.

"Our government owns the largest real estate portfolio in the country and by unlocking some of these lands for housing we can get more homes built faster and at prices that Canadians can afford," Sudds said.

Sudds saidthe goal is to keep the lands public, instead allowing for developments through low-cost leasing wherever possible.

Ottawa's full list as of Aug. 29, 2024

• Six listings on Tremblay Road west of St. Laurent Boulevard.
• Fiveat Tunney's Pasture: four along the Colombine Driveway and one at 100 Chardon Dr.
• Fouraround Heron Road and Riverside Drive: 1500 Bronson Ave., 875 Heron Rd., 2670 Riverside Dr. and 2720 Riverside Dr.
• Two listings around Wateridge Village, including the one noted above taking applications.
• 1745 Alta Vista Dr., theNational Defence Medical Centre.
• 1495 Heron Rd., theformer Federal Study Centre.
• 552 Booth St., a former Natural Resources site that's had redevelopment talk before.
• 122 Bank St., the Jackson Building.
• 171-181 Bank St., part of L'Esplanade Laurier.