The Federal Housing Minister Sean Fraser has written St. Johns’ Mayor Danny Breen, calling on the capital city to do more when it comes to meeting the dire need for housing. Minister Fraser is asking the city to make changes to its previous proposals to access funding through the Housing Accelerator Fund.

The capital city manages some 476 units, with a 5 per cent vacancy rate and a waiting list of those looking for housing.

Breen recently indicated that the city is working hard to ensure that units are available at quickly as possible when there is turnover.

Minister Fraser has written the mayor pointing to the federal government’s Housing Accelerator Fund and is encouraging the city to strengthen its proposals to gain greater access to housing funds.

Minister Fraser says MP Joanne Thompson insists that the city can “demonstrate greater ambition on housing than what is indicated in the initial application.”

Minister Fraser is recommending that the city reduce the time it would take to form an electronic permit application process from five years to one, target tax reductions to affordable housing units, and increase rental density and capacity near the university and in the downtown.

Seamus O’Regan, the MP for St. John’s South-Mount Pearl says they just want to see the city to be “more ambitious” in its access to the housing fund.

“Which is a good thing” says O’Regan. He says the city applied for the Building Accelerator Fund, asking for $2 million for 91 units, but O’Regan says “we think you can be more ambitious than that.”