OTTAWA, ON, Sept. 22, 2024 – Despite progress made in addressing Canada’s housing crisis, the issue remains unresolved as long as individuals are forced to live in tents due to unaffordable housing.

Through Canada’s Housing Plan, we have clearly stated our commitment to taking a leading role in ending encampments and addressing homelessness. We aim to achieve this by providing funding and collaborating with other levels of government.

Today, the federal government has announced its readiness to enter into agreements and invest in any province or territory willing to match the federal government’s funding to support communities facing the most significant housing pressures.

The government is allocating $250 million, as outlined in Budget 2024, to address the urgent issue of encampments and unsheltered homelessness. This funding is intended to be matched by provinces and territories, leveraging up to $500 million to provide increased shelter spaces, transitional homes, and support services to help those living in encampments find housing.

This initiative complements existing programs such as Reaching Home, a federal investment of $5 billion over nine years to address homelessness. Budget 2024 includes an investment of $1 billion over four years to stabilize funding for Reaching Home. Additionally, the federal government is investing $79.1 million through the Veteran Homelessness Program (VHP) to serve those in need.

We look forward to collaborating with all provincial and territorial leaders who share our commitment to investing this funding in their communities.

Canada’s housing crisis cannot be solved by a single level of government, service provider, or home builder alone. We must work together to eradicate encampments in our communities. Today, we are calling on provinces and territories to join us in this effort.

Quotes

“Across Canada, playgrounds, parks, and public squares have become the last refuge for too many individuals. The harsh realities faced by those living without stable shelter do not reflect the values we hold as Canadians. This reality divides our communities and impacts us all. We must work together to help the country’s most vulnerable find safe and affordable places to call home. We can and must do better.” 

The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

Quick facts

• Provinces and territories will be required to match federal investments. The Government of Canada will negotiate agreements with provincial and territorial governments on the roll-out of this funding, including the selection of communities.
• This funding complements federal investments made through Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy, which provides funding and support to urban, Indigenous, territorial and rural, and remote communities to help them address their local homelessness needs.
• Since 2015, the federal government has helped almost two million Canadians find a place to call home.
• In addition to investments to address homelessness, Budget 2024 includes the following measures to help solve Canada’s housing crisis:
  • Launch a new Rapid Housing stream under the Affordable Housing Fund to build deeply affordable housing, supportive housing and shelters.
  • Restore generational fairness for renters, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, by taking new action to protect renters’ rights and unlock pathways for them to become homeowners.
  • Launch a new $6 billion Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund to accelerate the construction or upgrade of essential infrastructure across the country and get more homes built for Canadians.
  • Top-up the Apartment Construction Loan Program with $15 billion, make new reforms so it is easier to access, and launch Canada Builds to call on all provinces and territories to join a Team Canada effort to build more homes, faster.
  • Support renters by launching a new $1.5 billion Canada Rental Protection Fund to preserve more rental homes and make sure they stay affordable.
  • Change the way we build homes in Canada by announcing over $600 million to make it easier and cheaper to build more homes, faster, including through a new Homebuilding Technology and Innovation Fund and a new Housing Design Catalogue.

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SOURCE Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities