Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan premiers emphasize call to be part of housing deals | Globalnews.ca

The premiers of Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan are emphasizing the need for provinces to be at the table when Ottawa strikes housing deals with municipalities.

The issue was a prominent part of the communiqué released Monday following a meeting of provincial premiers and territorial leaders in Halifax.

The two premiers discussed their objections to what they see as an end run by the federal government during a news conference today in the Nova Scotia capital.

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston says Ottawa has been using a “divide and conquer” approach to issues such as carbon pricing and housing, and provinces want to ensure they have a “fair and honest” relationship.

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Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says there is a concern about the federal government increasingly looking at the “potential political benefits” of circumventing the provinces in making large funding announcements on its own.

The communiqué calls for federal funding “that flows exclusively through provinces and territories” in order to address housing needs and support long-term capital planning.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2023.