The Harper government will propose spending more than $2 billion on social housing nationwide, according to a report in the Toronto Star.

“The spending is expected to be part of the aggressive stimulus package unveiled in Tuesday's federal budget and could provide a boost for tradespeople hit by the slowdown in the new housing market,” writes Bruce Campion-Smith, chief of the Star’s Ottawa bureau.

Campion-Smith reports that the housing package is expected to include:

$1 billion to renovate existing social housing.

$600 million for on-reserve housing to help address a frequent call from aboriginal leaders to improve the state of housing. "There are significant investments required there," Finley said.

$400 million for seniors housing.

$75 million for housing for people with disabilities.

The Toronto Star added:

Normally, Ontario would expect to get about 30 per cent, or $300 million, of the $1 billion national fund for renovating social housing. But in a pre-budget paper, an Ontario social housing group estimated that this province alone needs $1.2 billion by 2012 to renovate existing social housing stock.

Toronto Community Housing, the city's social housing provider, says the immediate need in the city is for $300 million, or $1.1 billion over 10 years. But Toronto's estimated take of the fund would be about $120 million.

Previously leaked budget expectations include:

A $34 billion deficit in the fiscal year that begins April 1, followed by a $30 billion deficit in 2010-11.

$1 billion fund to help retrain workers in hard-hit industries – mining, farming, and forestry communities.

$500 million to modernize farms and help provide better equipment.

$100 million for better forestry technology.

$50 million to promote Canada's forestry sector abroad.

Also expected are some tax cuts and two new economic development agencies, one for southern Ontario and another for Northern Canada.

Monte Paulsen reports on housing for The Tyee.ca