A 1970s Canada Post building in Alberta and stone Quebec City army barracks dating back to 1856 are just some of the public lands the Liberal government plans to turn into homes.

The idea, outlined in the federal budget released Tuesday, is to use federally owned sites across the country to help ease the Canada-wide housing crunch.

Here害羞草研究所檚 what to know.

How many properties are on the list?

The federal government is Canada害羞草研究所檚 largest landowner.

The budget lists six Canada Post properties it hopes to turn into housing, two of which Ottawa had previously put up for sale.

It says these are 害羞草研究所渏ust the start,害羞草研究所� since the post office has a presence in more than 1,700 communities. The document touts nearly three dozen other 害羞草研究所渟ample害羞草研究所� Canada Post properties that could be 害羞草研究所渦nlocked for housing.害羞草研究所�

On the National Defence front, the budget says the government is looking 害羞草研究所渢o divest 14 surplus properties that have potential for housing,害羞草研究所� and it lists six of them in the document.

What will the housing look like?

Finance Canada said in some cases, that could look like adding apartments above an existing one-storey post office building.

害羞草研究所淢any of these sites often house one-storey Canada Post buildings, which could be leveraged to build new homes across the country, while maintaining Canada Post services,害羞草研究所� the budget document reads.

It害羞草研究所檚 less clear what will happen to the National Defence properties on the list, since some of them are protected historic sites.

What specific Canada Post properties are being targeted?

A brochure that lists the Canada Post building in Fort McMurray, Alta., for sale at $2.2 million by JLL Edmonton Industrial includes photos of a warehouse-style interior with few windows and loading dock doors 害羞草研究所� raising questions about how easy it would be to convert into housing units.

The government also listed three Canada Post properties in Quebec, in Trois-Rivi猫res, Beauharnois and Roxboro, and two in B.C., in North Vancouver and Port Moody.

What about at National Defence?

Here are a few of the properties on offer:

害羞草研究所� 87 St-Louis St., Quebec City: The Sewell House National Historic Site of Canada is a two-storey stone house built in 1803 and 1804 for Jonathan Sewell, then chief justice of Lower Canada. 害羞草研究所淲hile living here, the Sewell family entertained members of the social and political elite associated with the development of Quebec City,害羞草研究所� Parks Canada says on its website.

害羞草研究所� 96 D害羞草研究所橝uteuil St., Quebec City: Near the Sewell House are the St. Louis Barracks, built in the mid- and late 19th century. Parks Canada says they are 害羞草研究所渙ne of the best examples of a pre-Confederation militia building associated with Canada害羞草研究所檚 gradual acceptance of responsibility for its own military defence following the withdrawal of British troops.害羞草研究所� The Journal de Qu茅bec reported in 2020 that both would soon be up for sale.

害羞草研究所� The National Defence Medical Centre, Ottawa: Parks Canada describes the nine-storey former full-service hospital, built in the early 1960s, as four wings that 害羞草研究所渞adiate outward from a central core and feature punched window openings, and end curtain walls.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所� Brigadier Murphy Armoury, Vernon, B.C.: The armoury, built in 1913, is 害羞草研究所渁 two-storey drill hall with simple horizontal massing and modest but strong detailing.害羞草研究所� An article in the Vernon Morning Star in 2016 said its future was uncertain following a review by the Department of National Defence.

害羞草研究所� Amherst Armoury in Nova Scotia: It was built in 1915 to house the 85th Canadian Infantry Battalion, which played a crucial role in the battle at Vimy Ridge during the First World War. The huge sandstone building, a recognized federal heritage building since 1990, was declared surplus in 2016 after the local army reserve unit moved out. But it is still used for community functions, concerts, military cadet training and to house the Nova Scotia Highlanders Regimental Museum.

What other buildings could be converted?

The budget says the government will 害羞草研究所減artner with the housing sector to build homes on every possible site across the federal portfolio.害羞草研究所� The plan is to lease the lands and retain ownership whenever possible, the budget says.

Ottawa also plans to 害羞草研究所渦rgently害羞草研究所� lease public lands in Calgary, Ottawa, Edmonton, Toronto and Montreal, where 800 homes can be built.

People could also call former federal office buildings home, with the government spending $1.1 billion to cut its office space in half.

害羞草研究所淲here applicable, the government will prioritize student and non-market housing in the unlocking of federal office properties,害羞草研究所� says the budget.

Housing Minister Sean Fraser said Wednesday the government will release a map of federal properties that may be appropriate for housing in the coming months. Some sites will be easier to convert than others, he said.

害羞草研究所淚f we害羞草研究所檙e dealing with a piece of land that is not a simple conversion or an office building that could be rapidly converted into housing 害羞草研究所� when you害羞草研究所檙e dealing with a large-scale apartment building, it can take three years to actually put a building up.害羞草研究所�