OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney defended a controversial plan announced last week to spend millions of taxpayer dollars buying empty B.C. condos to quickly provide affordable housing, amid criticism it amounts to a bailout for developers who misread the market.

At a press conference Thursday, Carney said the housing program — which would see the federal and B.C. governments partner to purchase up to 2,200 vacant condos — is a quicker way to get people into affordable housing than building new units.

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