Today, the Honourable Stephanie McLean, Secretary of State (Seniors), on behalf of Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence, participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the recent acquisition of a brand-new, privately developed apartment complex located minutes from Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Esquimalt. This four-storey, $23.3 million apartment complex includes 37 move-in ready apartments and 47 parking spots and will be used to house CAF members working at the Base starting January 2026.
To help meet the housing needs of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members and their families, the Canadian Forces Housing Agency (CFHA) is exploring alternative solutions through private sector partnerships and support to federal housing initiatives, including acquisitions like this one. This particular acquisition was achieved through an unprecedented, multi-departmental approach that reduced a typical processing time of one to two years into just five weeks to complete, resulting in faster access to housing for CAF members.
CFB Esquimalt is one of several locations receiving significant increases in CAF housing-related projects, including the construction and acquisition of several hundred residential housing units by mid-2030s. Minister McGuinty also highlighted the progress being made with other housing initiatives across Canada, including:
- Construction of 36 apartment units in six net-zero-emissions ready apartment buildings in Edmonton to be ready in Spring 2026, the first of their kind in the Government of Canada;
- Completion of two new six-unit buildings late 2026 and the design of an additional 48 residential housing units in Kingston;
- Multi-year construction of 60 residential housing units starting this Fall in Valcartier;
- Construction of 48 residential housing units in Borden;
- Start of the design of 48 residential housing units in Halifax; 80 in Petawawa; 72 in Borden and 40 in Gagetown; and
- Reserving 20 completed residential housing units from the private sector and the design of 92 residential housing units to start this Fall in Trenton.
These first initiatives were launched in areas identified as having the highest need for military housing. Over the coming decade, additional locations with Department of National Defence residential housing units will also undergo new construction.
Our people are our highest priority, and we will continue to leverage every available resource to provide CAF members with access to affordable housing options.
