Carney touts federal housing strategy while touring homebuilding site in Ottawa | FULL

Added: 2026-05-25

[00:00:00]Just go. No, it's already over there on the ground.

[00:00:09]>> That's like being like >> Yeah. No, that's on zero sleep when you start the next step is going to try to get him.

[00:00:21]>> Sounds like somebody's not yet.

[00:00:24]>> Just be careful, guys. Just uh just step back.

[00:00:27]>> Yep. I'm going to go on the other side actually.

[00:00:28]>> Very soft.

[00:00:30]Step back more.

[00:00:30]>> Yeah, I just I just want to have him walking. So, >> okay.

[00:00:35]>> Thank you.

[00:00:39]>> How are you? Are you okay with him?

[00:00:40]>> Hi, I'm Ma. Nice to meet you.

[00:00:46]>> Oh, wow. Blue sky.

[00:00:48]>> Nice. Such great cloud cover for the press conference. And now it's >> How are you, kiddos? Good.

[00:01:00]>> Are they done university?

[00:01:02]>> My daughter isn't, but yeah, my son's working in Montreal.

[00:01:05]>> Wow.

[00:01:07]>> 26 and 22.

[00:01:08]>> Oh my god.

[00:01:10]>> You know, so when you're >> if you want to borrow a one-year-old, just let me know if you need a if you need a >> if you're feeling nostalgic.

[00:01:17]>> If you ever need to drop her off somewhere while you're at something.

[00:01:22]>> Well, I know for somehow two and a half it goes fast.

[00:01:25]>> It goes fast >> 10 times. Honestly, you can see how it all goes.

[00:01:30]>> I actually No, it makes so much sense.

[00:01:33]>> Yeah.

[00:01:35]>> Even the first years like that.

[00:01:37]>> That's good.

[00:01:41]>> That's incredible.

[00:01:48]>> That's it. Can also take >> Yeah.

[00:01:55]Right now you're down. up a little bit.

[00:01:57]So >> just a tiny I didn't really wanted this.

[00:02:04]>> No, I think this is good.

[00:02:06]>> Yeah, exactly.

[00:02:08]I might be wrong.

[00:02:20]>> No.

[00:02:22]So when he >> Oh, Hello.

[00:02:52]Good morning everyone.

[00:03:04]We asset objective. We cut um the GST and the HST on housing for all home buyers.

[00:03:22]We came together at this agreement, Premier Ford and I, uh to cut development charges in half. So, what does that mean? Uh it means up to $158,000 of reduced costs for housing here in Ottawa.

[00:03:41]Since that time, uh and part of the reason we're here is to see the good work of uh EQ Homes. Uh but since that time, uh this company, this development has seen uh sales go up by 65%.

[00:03:53]um gives a sense of uh the both the demand for affordable housing but also the impact uh of these measures.

[00:04:05]Canada Robertson are called are called me. So, Build Canada Homes uh started just uh back in September. a series of accords um across this country from uh Yukon where the minister was uh yesterday uh to Nunovet uh where he will be later this week uh to right here in Ottawa where we agreed uh to build 3,000 uh affordable homes with the city uh of Ottawa. Overall thus far in uh less than 9 months uh Build Canada Homes uh has concluded more than 14 uh accords uh looking to build up to 15,000 h houses homes just for those accords. There's a lot more in the funnel. So we're really getting the momentum there uh for this core objective of building affordable homes. So I just wanted to take the chance and Mary France, thank you for showing around your neighborhood, your writing. Um, and I want want to thank uh the builders um and the developers uh of EQ uh for helping us uh fulfill this mission. So with that, I look forward to uh questions.

[00:05:36]>> Good morning, Prime Minister. Ma Walsh with the Global Mail.

[00:05:39]>> Some critics are saying that the deal you struck with Alberta doesn't set a strong enough incentive for Alberta to stay in the program once it gets a pipeline, that they could easily just pay the $1.2 billion break fee and bail on the carbon pricing regime after they get a pipeline, similar to what we saw with Trans Mountain. How do you respond to that?

[00:05:58]>> Uh I'm not sure about the final point of your uh your question there.

[00:06:01]>> Well, the Trans Mountain pipeline, Trudeau it with the express intention of a carbon price and a cap on emissions.

[00:06:07]>> So, uh a couple of things. One is uh let let's start with the the carbon price um which is that we have a carbon market in Alberta and we have carbon markets across uh Canada that don't really work.

[00:06:19]They don't function as carbon markets.

[00:06:21]So, uh, headline prices, uh, $95, $110.

[00:06:25]Actual prices before we began, uh, these discussions with Alberta, $20. So, headline price six and a half times or effective price six and a half times uh, where the market was trading at the time. So, how do we turn something that was broken, didn't work, didn't achieve what was uh, desired into something that actually functions of the market? And there's several ways we're doing it. You referenced one of them.

[00:06:50]It's not a break fee. It's a contracts for differences. These are contracts directly with entities that are building renewable power, clean power. Uh so they're contracts. You don't break a contract as a government. Certainly not uh not in Canada. Uh so that's $1.2 billion worth uh jointly between uh the two of us. Uh the second thing we're doing is putting in place, Alberta has agreed to put in place a floor price uh starting from 2030. Uh that will be a regulated floor. that means that credits cannot trade below those floor prices and it's a rising floor. Uh that will also contribute to the function of the market. I think the third thing I'd underscore is that this is an agreement.

[00:07:30]This is an agreement. Uh it's not anou.

[00:07:33]It's not a memorandum of understanding.

[00:07:34]It is now an implementation agreement, a 50-page implementation agreement between the government of Canada and the government of Alberta. Uh governments, as I said a moment ago in Canada respect their agreements. There's there is a desire to do several things, an intent to do several things, an agreement to do several things. That agreement includes uh building more uh conventional energy.

[00:07:55]It means developing a new industry um excuse me of carbon capture and it includes having a functional carbon market. And I will add one last thing which that also creates the possibility of broadening that uh carbon market uh across Canada with willing process. That agreement expressly says that to get out of the deal, Alberta simply or the federal government.

[00:08:16]>> No, it does not expressly say that.

[00:08:17]>> It says that it assumes sole liability.

[00:08:19]Alberta says that means they would have to pay $1.2 billion if they reneg on. Is that not correct?

[00:08:25]>> I that it what there are contracts for I answered that question if I may already.

[00:08:30]Uh there are contracts for differences which are struck uh for uh specific projects that would remove projects to be determined uh that are going to renew uh sorry uh remove or have low carbon uh and create uh would otherwise create credits. Um that is part of several factors. That is one of several factors that is part of the agreement. I think I think you might question Foreons responsibility province.

[00:10:07]Prime Minister um trying to make Charles. Um how what do you think of the referendum question that Daniel Smith has asked? How do you see your role in this debate? And what do you plan to do to campaign for Canadian unity?

[00:10:20]>> Well, let me start at the end uh which is I certainly will be campaigning for uh Canadian unity. I've I've begun that and uh part of the campaign is not a campaign, but it's uh its actions. It's practicing cooperative federalism uh with Alberta, with Quebec, uh uh with all provinces and territories in the country, with indigenous peoples as well. Uh so it's moving the country forward, but moving the country forward with agreements uh and with uh with parties uh aligned. So finding that common ground so we can move and that's what uh that's what Albertans expect.

[00:10:53]That's what Canadians uh expect across the country. And I'm pleased that uh the premers uh are buying into this and uh and moving forward on a number of uh on a number of fronts. So that's the first thing and if I may just refer to my previous answer with respect to cooperation agreements uh including potentially with the province of Quebec that is an example of that cooperation.

[00:11:13]So that's the first thing. The second thing is uh of course um being part of uh Canada uh brings many economic advantages being part of our large market uh being part of uh free trade agreements with one and a half billion people around the world. But in the core, it's more than economic uh arguments. And I'm going to get to the first part of your question in a second.

[00:11:36]Uh it's more than economic benefits.

[00:11:38]It's social. It's uh it's what we are as Canadians. Canadians take care of each other. Uh we take care of each other uh in our social programs. We take care of each other across different provinces.

[00:11:50]Uh we look out for each other internationally. And this is a time uh where it's particularly um important. Uh what do I think of the question? Uh in terms of the specifics of the question, we have an obligation as the federal government uh to look at the question and determine whether it's consistent with the clarity act that that is uh underway. Uh ultimately uh if there are questions around that questions about the clarity of the of the question if you follow uh that would be a role for parliament. I'm not saying that's the case, but I'm just we're just in the process of doing our due diligence. I will say I will make the following observation though about the question and it's uh this is an observation from experience. Um in these separation issues it is often advanced that vote for this and it's a free option. Vote for this and we will strengthen your our hand in a future negotiation. That is a very dangerous bluff. That is a very dangerous bluff. You saw I saw firsthand what happened in the United Kingdom when the view was vote for this it'll be soft and then we'll negotiate etc. And they ended up and they're still 10 years later trying to undo what people didn't think they were voting for but what they ended up having uh the Canadian So, we have we have to be very careful about this. There's a very strong positive case for Canada, a strong Alberta in a united Canada. We're making it stronger uh working together and I look forward to making that case with many many other Albertans and Canadians over the course of the next 15 days.

[00:13:45]>> My colleagues in French would love to hear that.

[00:14:04]Fore Jana.

[00:14:43]the suggestion the convers in caucus.

[00:15:06]Alberta.

[00:15:26]For example, Can we hear that as well, please, sir?

[00:15:51]>> Uh, well, in a healthy caucus, you will always have uh an exchange of views. uh uh suggestions uh and uh we have uh exchange of views of uh some members of uh the caucus perspectives. Uh in April, of course, there's 160 other members of uh of that caucus. uh we have to take decisions that are in the interests uh of the country uh that reflect um reflect uh an agreement uh with uh the province of Alberta uh the interests of British Columbia, the interests of indigenous peoples uh and also that looks at policy in in its totality. Uh and I mentioned uh in French the electricity strategy which came out uh after uh that letter was sent doubling our grid. uh we really underscored uh in that strategy the value of electrifying uh much of uh much of Canada including uh obviously heating of homes and transportation industry industrial uh uh production as well. Uh getting that right will have a huge uh impact on our and a much bigger impact on our emission reduction. I would add as well our nature strategy strategy sil million dollars for our nature strategy as well as one of the only G7 countries who's maintained its uh commitment which we also did after that letter uh maintained its commitment to uh international development finance. So we have to look at everything in the round.

[00:17:16]We do many things at the same time.

[00:17:17]We're moving forward on uh on climate action. We're moving forward on making this country more affordable. the focus of today uh and more sustainable and more prosperous for all. Thank you very much.

[00:17:29]>> Hi Prime Minister Tom Perry with CBC.

[00:17:31]Can I ask you when you met with Danielle Smith, Premier Smith in Calgary, did you try to persuade her not to put a question of separation to Alberta voters in October? And I guess if I could ask as a second part now that there is this question in place, how much uncertainty does it create for investors who want to put money into a pipeline or any other kind of project in Alberta? Look, it's uh I mean the premier has proposed this uh the question and other questions with it. Uh as I said earlier, Tom, we will look at uh we will discharge our responsibilities, look at uh consistency of the uh of the question about a question uh if I can put it that way uh on separation uh are consistency of that with the clarity act. So it is what it is. It's there. Uh we have to discharge our responsibilities as I said. Look, I uh um premier doesn't always take my advice. Um and uh but I but I can I finish my uh please. Um look, is it helpful to ask these fundamental questions? No, it's not helpful. Of course, it's not. Uh is it uh is it the democratic will of uh uh Albertans? Did they vote for this in the last provincial election? No, they didn't. It wasn't on the uh wasn't on the ballot paper. wasn't in the uh mandates of um uh or uh or platforms uh of any of uh or of the governing party um and the official opposition. Uh it is what it is. Um it's uh I I'll repeat that you know the core uh approach here uh and reality is positive. Uh there's tremendous uh strengths um that Canada brings to Alberta and Alberta brings to Canada. Uh we are absolutely stronger together.

[00:19:12]We're better together. Uh we're better people. We're wealthier uh together. Um you know, my uh my colleague Corey Hogan points out rightly. Uh that median wealth in Canada is 23% higher than the United States. It's not something people would think. But why is that the case?

[00:19:27]It's because we take care of each other.

[00:19:29]It's because we focus on things like affordability. Because the people who live here will um will get child care.

[00:19:36]Uh the people who live here will get healthcare. people who live here will get high quality education uh for their kids. Uh they're uh if they're retiring here, uh they'll get OAS and GIS because Canadians take care of each other. It's not perfect. Can it get better? Do we need to continue to work together as provinces and federal governments?

[00:19:56]Absolutely. Are we making progress? The Alberta Accord is one of many examples.

[00:20:01]You you'll see many many more. what uh what Minister Robert Robertson is doing uh with Build Canada homes is in concert with the provinces $158,000 off homes that is because of work between the federal government province uh of Ontario similar things are going to happen across this country one of many many examples of how we're stronger together at a time when the world is uh under enormous enormous pressure and you know I uh I'll finish with this which is that uh you look around the world I you know I travel around the world I see and it's the world is in in pain um uh most countries don't think that they're headed in the right direction Canada with all our imperfections uh challenges uh Canadians think we are headed in the right direction and part of the reason why they think they're in the right direction we're headed in the right direction is because we're Canadian because we know we'll come together and we'll work to find a better way and I'm I'm committed my government's committed to continue to do so. Thank you.

[00:21:20]Where's my