Prime Minister Mark Carney's high-profile housing announcement last fall featured an elaborate construction site that turned out to be nothing more than an expensive theatrical set for television cameras, newly released documents confirm.
The Staged Announcement
On September 14, 2025, Carney stood before what appeared to be an active construction site in Nepean to announce Build Canada Homes (BCH), the new federal housing agency headed by former Toronto councillor Ana Bailao. The Prime Minister told reporters that the modular homes behind him demonstrated Canada's new approach to rapid housing construction.
"The two sets of homes behind me were manufactured in two days and assembled on-site in one week," Carney said during the announcement at the vacant gravel lot on Merivale and Colonnade Roads. "We held back the workers from finishing it so we could see how things fit together."
What Carney didn't mention was that the entire scene was temporary. The homes weren't part of an actual development but were props erected specifically for the photo opportunity.
Government Admits to 'Demonstration'
The truth emerged through a parliamentary inquiry. In response to an order paper question filed by Conservative MP Arnold Viersen, the Privy Council Office (PCO) admitted the construction site was purely for show.
The PCO described the setup as a "demonstration" by Ottawa-based modular home builder Caivan Homes. According to their response, "The homes have since been disassembled and the Nunavut home is now on its way to Canada's Arctic for occupancy by family in need."
The PCO claimed the federal government-owned lot "was an example of federal land that can be utilized for a housing project," though no actual development was planned for that specific location.
Backlash and Costs
When the Toronto Sun revisited the site days after the announcement, the housing units had disappeared. In their place were an excavator and bulldozer grading the empty lot with gravel.
The revelation sparked widespread criticism, with many accusing the government of creating a "Potemkin village" - a reference to the fake portable villages supposedly erected to impress Russian Empress Catherine II during her 18th-century travels.
The Department of Housing confirmed the staged event cost Canadian taxpayers $32,707.23.
Franco Terrazzano, federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, didn't mince words in his criticism: "Carney billed taxpayers for a very expensive photo op. He shouldn't be billing taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars so he can pretend to be Bob the Builder."
Caivan co-founder Frank Cairo defended the company's involvement, telling the Toronto Sun that the government approached them for a "prototype build" demonstration. He insisted there were "no added cost in doing this as it was synergized with our existing process" and that the homes were repurposed for a separate Ottawa development.
The incident raises questions about government transparency and the use of public funds for staged events designed to promote political announcements.
