Central Nova MP Sean Fraser, the Minister responsible for ACOA was in Trenton Sunday to highlight the federal government’s launch of Build Canada Homes — a new federal agency that will build affordable housing at scale.  Prime Minister Mark Carney says “Build Canada Homes” includes plans to build four-thousand affordable homes on federally owned sites.   Carney says 13-billion-dollars has been announced for the agency to build in six different municipalities, including Dartmouth.  Construction is expected to begin on the first homes next year.

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The House of Commons returns today for what’s expected to be a busy fall.   The Conservatives have been applying pressure on the Carney government over what they call rampant, out-of-control crime in Canadian communities.  Crime was a key theme of Pierre Poilievre’s election campaign in the spring, and he’s promised to introduce legislation this fall that will make it harder for people with past convictions and those accused of serious crimes to get bail.  Carney’s Liberal government has similarly promised bail reform.

 

 

Nova Scotia is estimating the initial capital cost of the proposed Wind West offshore project at 60 billion dollars.  The estimate is contained in a document released Thursday, following Prime Minister Mark Carney’s announcement that Ottawa is prepared to work with Nova Scotia to ramp up the ambitious plan.  According to the document, 40 billion would go to building wind farms and 20 billion would go toward building new transmission lines, although it doesn’t mention who will pay for what.  However, the province says Ottawa will have a critical role to play in enabling investments, permits and approvals.

 

 

Economists expect Canada’s annual inflation rate rose to two per cent in August, up from 1.7 per cent in July.  Statistics Canada is expected to release August inflation data on Tuesday, one day before the Bank of Canada makes its next interest rate decision.  It’s expected to lower its policy rate to 2.5 per cent after holding it at two-point-seven-five per cent in its last three decisions.  Oxford Economics’ Tony Stillo says a weak labour market and a shrinking economy last quarter will take steam out of inflation at the same time Canada is dropping most of its counter tariffs.