Port Moody post office property is in the land bank

When it comes to the old post office, the federal government may be looking to push the envelope.

The recently-announced Canada Public Land Bank includes 56 federal properties where housing could be built, including 45 Mary St. in Port Moody.

The land bank is designed for builders with the aim of getting Canadians “into homes that meet their needs, at prices they can afford,” according to a release from the federal government.

Following Sunday’s announcement, Port Moody staff: “anticipate we will be having dialogue in the near future,” according to the city’s general manager of development services Kate Zanon.

Zanon previously stated she was “encouraged” to see the site listed as a surplus property.

The purpose of the land bank is to get housing built through long-term leases rather than land sales, “wherever possible,” according to the release.

“By building on public lands, we can make it easier to build, and by leasing those same properties, we can make sure the homes built stay affordable for the long term,” Housing Minister Sean Fraser stated in the release.

The federal lands comprise 305 hectares. The only other B.C. site is on 10th Avenue East in Vancouver. The bank also includes 32 Ontario properties.

“Under the new plan, we will partner with the housing sector and communities to build homes on every site suitable for housing across the federal portfolio,” the release stated.

Port Moody-Coquitlam MP Bonita Zarrillo previously advocated for seniors housing on the site.

“The closed Canada Post office at 45 Mary St. is a good location for quality affordable homes for seniors,” Zarrillo said.

The registered owner of 45 Mary St. is the Canada Post Corporation, which has owned the land since 2015.