Homebuilders are welcoming the federal government’s decision to list 56 properties available for residential housing redevelopment.

Ottawa has placed the properties in the new Canada Public Land Bank with other assets to be added regularly in coming months. The properties include former military bases, Canada Post sites and federal office buildings located across Canada.

Instead of selling the sites, the government will lease them in most cases to housing investors and developers on a long-term basis. Many of the projects are expected to be multi-residential developments.

“It is encouraging that the government is now embracing delivery models that have been successfully implemented all over Canada to deliver critical social infrastructure,” Nicholas Gefucia, senior vice-president of EllisDon Community Builders, told Postmedia.

He believes that the inclusion of surplus federal lands is crucial in addressing Canada’s affordable housing crisis.

“Long-term leases could allow a more focused approach to how land is developed and operated,” he told Postmedia.

The program is governed by Public Services and Procurement Canada and is being co-ordinated by the Canada Lands Company as part of the federal government’s Public Lands for Homes Plan. Canada Lands and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation have issued a call for proposals from housing providers in Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, Ottawa and Montreal to access some of the properties in the new land bank.

Justin Sherwood, senior vice-president of stakeholder relations and communications at the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD), has also welcomed the federal government’s move.

“Land is a critical ingredient in addressing the current housing supply and affordability crisis facing the GTA and many Canadian cities – particularly land that is already serviced or that can be readily serviced with housing-supportive infrastructure,” he told Postmedia.

He called the land bank “a welcome step in the right direction.”

But industry veteran Shawn Hamilton, a principal at Proveras Commercial Realty in Ottawa expressed skepticism in wake of the government’s announcement on the land bank’s creation.

“It’s time for action in regard to the conversion of federal buildings into housing,” he wrote in an op-ed piece in the Ottawa Business Journal. “We have had enough announcements.”

Hamilton has returned to the brokerage side of the business after working for many years with investment and development firm Canderel.

“While I appreciate the federal government identifying buildings that are candidates for housing, I note that many of these buildings have already been subject to housing press releases.”

He added: “We get it. We understood the first time.

But Hamilton believes that the feds can play “a transformational role” in delivering affordable housing across Canada.”

Among other requests: He called on the government to choose buildings that are structurally best suited for conversion and avoid heritage buildings. In his view, heritage buildings “do nothing” to speed up the conversion process or reduce the cost.

He also called on the government to choose assets that tie into existing infrastructure, such as transit, grocery stores, parks and recreation opportunities; work with municipalities on identifying conversion assets and consider donating properties as “a pathway to affordability.”

“Right now, I fear that more effort is being given toward making public announcements rather than developing and moving forward with true community benefit,” he wrote.

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