Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Transition Binder (2025)
Welcome Letter

Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities 
The House of Commons 
Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 0A6 

Dear Minister: 

Please accept my congratulations on your appointment as Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities. On behalf of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, I would like to welcome you to the Department. We look forward to supporting you in advancing your priorities and the ambitious agenda reflected in campaign commitments.

The Government's agenda to build Canada and a strong economy clearly place the build-out of housing and infrastructure at the centre.

As Minister, you will be at the helm of an important and diverse portfolio, providing you scope for action in getting more affordable homes built, addressing homelessness, and supporting infrastructure projects that are economy-enabling and that build communities. The Department and its portfolio partners have the tools and levers, as well as the experience and relationships, to help you deliver on your mandate priorities. We also have a track record of responding in times of crisis and change with innovative solutions. In the face of geopolitical and economic uncertainties, like U.S. tariffs, affordable housing and robust infrastructure are more than just the building blocks of Canadian communities. They are also powerful tools to boost productivity, create jobs, and advance Canada's economic resilience, today and into the future.

Collaboration will be critical to delivering on your commitments. Over its relatively short history, the Department has built robust relationships with key partners, including the provinces and territories, municipalities, Indigenous Peoples, the private sector, and other stakeholders like homebuilders and not-for-profit organizations. These relationships will help advance important priorities, including addressing housing affordability, building prosperous communities, and enabling economic resilience. Addressing gaps and needs for Canada's housing and infrastructure is not, of course, for governments alone to tackle. Crowding in private sector investment is critical, and your portfolio already includes important levers and experience for alternative financing that you will have the opportunity to build on, including in the case of housing by designing and establishing the new Build Canada Homes entity.

To support your transition, you will find enclosed a briefing package of core information about portfolio policies and programs for your consideration. We stand ready to engage in briefings at the convenience of you and your office.

Again, congratulations on your appointment. I look forward to supporting your efforts to make progress on these critical matters.

Sincerely, 

Paul Halucha  
Deputy Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities