Conservative MPs frustrated after Poilievre bars them from promoting housing fund: sources

Some Conservative MPs are expressing frustration over their leader, Pierre Poilievre's decision to prevent them from promoting a federal housing fund in their districts, according to inside sources.

Poilievre has directed Conservative MPs to avoid supporting municipalities in their ridings that seek funding from the $4-billion Housing Accelerator Fund. This program was established to help cities with housing-related infrastructure, and as of June 30, 177 agreements have been signed under this initiative outside of Quebec. One Conservative source commented, "MPs are being stopped from helping their cities for partisan reasons," highlighting a shared frustration.

Poilievre has committed to ending this program to fund his campaign promise of eliminating the GST on new homes under $1 million. Consequently, he instructed his MPs not to endorse the fund. A Conservative source added, “If by any chance I attended a municipal housing announcement funded by a Liberal initiative, I would be in a lot of trouble.”

Some of Poilievre's colleagues are uncomfortable with a press release that his office recently issued on behalf of 17 Conservative MPs, requesting housing accelerator funds for their communities without consulting those MPs beforehand. The release named MPs including Dan Albas, Kelly Block, Michael Barrett, and others, asserting, “When the Liberal government announced this program, they promised it would build homes. Now we know that was a lie.”

One source explained that the MPs were not notified that their names would be made public or that they’d be restricted from seeking funding for their local municipalities. None of the 17 MPs responded to interview requests, and Michael Barrett, when approached, said only, “The letter speaks for itself,” without clarifying whether he agreed with Poilievre's directive.

Conservative sources involved in the matter have criticized Poilievre’s strategy, with one remarking, “This is no time to play politics with housing. Cities are entitled to their fair share of the pie, even if it comes from the Liberal government.” While they support the plan to abolish the GST on new home sales, another source noted, “But in the meantime, cities need help to build housing and deserve access to available funds.”

Mayors in the ridings of the 17 MPs also expressed disappointment with Poilievre’s stance on housing. Merlin Blackwell, mayor of Clearwater, B.C., urged his MP Frank Caputo to “put the partisanship aside.” Blackwell said his town needs $4 million in federal funds to build 450 new homes for future workers in a local mining project. He emphasized that such infrastructure is essential in rural areas, adding, “You can’t build the house if the sewer and water lines aren’t there.”

Alan Brown, mayor of Butternut Valley, N.B., criticized Poilievre’s directive, calling it “irresponsible” and arguing that MPs are “ethically and by their job” bound to advocate for their constituents, regardless of the funding source.

Both mayors also contested Poilievre's assertion that the Housing Accelerator Fund does not lead to housing construction, stressing that the fund is crucial for building infrastructure that developers need. With a federal election on the horizon, Blackwell expects partisan politics to continue playing a role but hopes for a focus on local needs over party lines, saying, “I’m hoping that we can be above partisanship and move things forward.”