The historic Kingston Penitentiary site at 560 King St. W. is among six newly identified properties added to the Canada Public Land Bank to address the country’s housing crisis. The property is slated to support the development of approximately 1,770 housing units under the federal government’s ambitious plan to build four million homes.
The Canada Public Land Bank, launched in August 2024, is part of the federal Public Lands for Homes Plan, which aims to turn surplus and underused public lands into affordable housing options. Since its inception, 90 federal properties have been identified across Canada, representing 473 hectares of land.
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“Safe, accessible, and affordable housing is out of reach for far too many Canadians,” said Jean-Yves Duclos, minister of public services and procurement. “We are paving the way to build affordable housing at a pace and scale not seen in generations.”
The Kingston Penitentiary site, with its prime location and historical significance, is seen as a key opportunity to provide housing for middle-class Canadians while preserving public land for public use. The federal government has committed to ensuring public land remains public through long-term leases.
The initiative aligns with Canada’s Housing Plan, introduced in Budget 2024, which includes measures to build homes faster, make home ownership more accessible and address the housing needs of vulnerable Canadians.
