Federal–Provincial Infrastructure Investment Reflects Burnaby Board of Trade Housing Policy Recommendations
BURNABY, BC — The Burnaby Board of Trade (BBOT) welcomes yesterday’s announcement of a major federal and provincial partnership that will invest more than $5 billion over the next 10 years in British Columbia’s local infrastructure to support housing and community growth.
The announcement aligns with recommendations advanced by the BBOT through its policy, Addressing BC's Housing Crisis & High Development Costs. The policy called on senior levels of government to develop infrastructure funding mechanisms beyond development charges and municipal levies, recognizing the need for additional tools to fund growth-related infrastructure while supporting housing affordability and economic competitiveness.
As part of the announcement, the new Build Communities Strong Fund (BCSF) includes nearly $1.6 billion over 10 years, matched by the Province of British Columbia for a total of up to $3.2 billion, to help lower development charges for multi-unit housing by up to 50% in priority communities. This is expected to deliver savings of up to $40,000 per unit while also expanding housing-enabling infrastructure, such as water and wastewater systems and local roads.
The fund also includes more than $600 million over three years, matched by British Columbia for a total of up to $1.2 billion, to modernize and expand health infrastructure, including hospitals, emergency rooms, urgent care centres, and other critical facilities.
The federal government has also introduced legislation to provide a one-time $284 million transfer to British Columbia to further support efforts to reduce barriers to new housing construction and accelerate homebuilding across the province.
“While we don’t have the details yet, it is encouraging to see meaningful collaboration between federal and provincial governments on infrastructure funding,” said Carl Funk, Interim Chair of the Burnaby Board of Trade. “Communities like Burnaby are growing rapidly, and the infrastructure required to support that growth cannot be funded through municipal tools alone.”
Among the recommendations advanced by the BBOT were reforming development charges, modernizing municipal approval processes through digital systems, and establishing alternative infrastructure funding models to support growing communities.
“The announcement demonstrates the value of business-led policy development and the important role the Chambers and Boards of Trade can play in advocating for their communities,” said Angie Whitfield, President & CEO of the Burnaby Board of Trade.
"Growth brings opportunity, but it also requires investment. We're pleased to see governments working together on solutions that help communities accommodate growth while strengthening housing affordability, infrastructure, and economic competitiveness."
As one of British Columbia’s fastest-growing cities, Burnaby understands the importance of planning for growth in ways that support residents, businesses, and future investment. From housing and transportation to major projects like Burnaby Hospital Phase Two, infrastructure investments play a critical role in supporting complete and resilient communities. The Burnaby Board of Trade looks forward to learning more about how these investments will be implemented and how they can help deliver housing, strengthen communities, and support long-term economic prosperity across the region.