Housing Programs and Initiatives

Reduce Chronic Homelessness

The Strategy seeks to reduce chronic homelessness in Canada by creating supportive environments and providing essential services to those in need.

• Reaching Home (Infrastructure Canada)
• Veteran Homelessness Program (Infrastructure Canada and Veterans Affairs Canada)

Emergency Shelter and Transitional Housing

The Strategy supports the creation of safe housing options for priority populations through these initiatives.

• Indigenous Shelter and Transitional Housing Initiative
• Affordable Housing Fund (formerly called the National Housing Co-Investment Fund)
• Affordable Housing Innovation Fund
• Federal Lands Initiative
• Rapid Housing Initiative (excluding Emergency Shelter)

Supportive Housing

• Affordable Housing Fund (formerly called the National Housing Co-Investment Fund)
• Affordable Housing Innovation Fund
• Federal Lands Initiative
• Rapid Housing Initiative

Community Housing / Support for Community Housing Sector

The Strategy provides supports to the community housing sector.

• Existing Community Housing Funding
• Affordable Housing Fund (formerly called the National Housing Co-Investment Fund)
• Rapid Housing Initiative
• Affordable Housing Innovation Fund
• Federal Lands Initiative
• Federal Community Housing Initiative
• Community Housing Transformation Centre
  • Sector Transformation Fund
  • Community-Based Tenant Initiative

Below-Market Housing:

Create New Housing Supply

The Strategy supports the construction of below-market housing units throughout Canada.

• Affordable Housing Fund (formerly called the National Housing Co-Investment Fund)
• Affordable Housing Innovation Fund
• Federal Lands Initiative
• Rapid Housing Initiative

Renew or Repair of Existing Housing Supply

The Strategy allocates resources to support the renewal and repair of existing below-market housing stock.

• Affordable Housing Fund (formerly called the National Housing Co-Investment Fund)

Market Housing

Create Purpose-Built Rental Supply

To address the increasing demand for rental housing, the Strategy promotes the development of purpose-built rental properties.

• Apartment Construction Loan Program (formerly called the Rental Construction Financing initiative)
• Affordable Housing Fund (formerly called the National Housing Co-Investment Fund)
• Affordable Housing Innovation Fund
• Federal Lands Initiative

Improving Homeownership Options

The goal of these programs is to turn homeownership into a reality for first-time homebuyers, with a budget of $1.35 billion.

• First-Time Homebuyer Incentive
• Shared Equity Mortgage Provider Fund

An allocation of $4 billion is dedicated to implementing systemic changes that enhance housing supply and accessibility.

• Housing Accelerator Fund

With a funding commitment of $15.7 billion, these initiatives aim to support provinces and territories’ priorities. These programs include:

• Provincial/Territorial Priority Funding
• Canada Community Housing Initiative
• Canada Housing Benefit
• Northern Funding

The Strategy allocates funds to innovative programs with a focus on closing vital data gaps and enhancing evidence-based decision-making. It also drives research to improve housing interventions, with a commitment of $541 million.

• NHS Demonstrations Initiative
• Solutions Labs
• Collaborative Housing Research Network
• Research and Planning Fund
• CMHC Housing Research Awards
• Housing Needs Data
  • Canadian Housing Survey
  • Social and Affordable Housing Survey – Rental Structures
• Expert Community on Housing
• Housing Supply Challenge
• Longitudinal Outcomes Research Grant

These programs emphasize an approach to housing rooted in human rights principles, aiming to ensure fairness, inclusivity, active involvement, and responsibility in housing solutions, with a budget of $63 million.

• National Housing Strategy Act
• National Housing Council
• Federal Housing Advocate

One-Time Direct Support Payments

This $1.2 billion program helped low-income renters with housing affordability issues. It concluded on March 31, 2023.

• Canada Housing Benefit (CMHC and Canada Revenue Agency)