OTTAWA, ON, March 22, 2025 – The initial co-operative housing ventures to gain funding via the new Co-operative Housing Development Program (CHDP), a $1.5 billion project intended to boost co-op housing development countrywide, have been revealed by the federal government.

Through the first application period, $423 million has been designated to aid eight new co-ops, resulting in the construction of 837 new residences. The first three projects, being the most advanced, will receive formal funding agreements this month, totaling $81 million to create 206 new co-op housing units. Additional funded projects will be disclosed in the coming months.

The Upper Hammonds Plains Housing Co-operative project, situated in Upper Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia, secured $61.2 million for 136 row house units, primarily for Black Canadians. This project, a collaboration between the Upper Hammonds Plains Community Land Trust and the Upper Hammonds Plains Housing Co-operative, aims to provide housing while also encouraging community involvement and cultural ties.

In the Town of Perth, Ontario, Linden Housing Co-operative will obtain $12.3 million to develop 38 units, comprising 36 newly built homes and 2 units within an existing structure. This initiative will feature 8 accessible units and prioritize 8 units for people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, offering housing to those with the greatest need.

The Highbury Road project in New Minas, Nova Scotia, led by the Valley Roots Housing Association, will receive $7.1 million for 32 homes, including apartments and townhouses. These homes will emphasize energy efficiency and incorporate passive solar design to achieve net-zero performance.

Quotes:

“The federal government has a strong role to play in building non-market housing to provide more affordable housing options for Canadians, and this includes co-operative housing. These first projects show how co-ops can provide affordable, inclusive, and sustainable homes that respond directly to local needs.” – The Honourable Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

Quick Facts:

• The National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10+ year, $115+ billion plan to give more Canadians a place to call home. Progress on programs and initiatives are updated quarterly on the . The shows affordable housing projects that have been developed.
• As of December 2024, the federal government has committed $60.09 billion to support the creation of over 156,000 units and the repair of over 298,000 units. These measures prioritize those in greatest need, including seniors, Indigenous Peoples, people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and women and children fleeing violence.
• The Co-operative Housing Development Program (CHDP) is the largest federal investment in new co-op housing development in more than 30 years, with $1.5 billion in funding. The program supports the creation of co-op homes that are more affordable than private market rentals, providing options for middle-income households.
• The program was co-designed with the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada and the co-op housing sector to ensure it addresses the sector’s unique needs, including capacity-building support for applicants. The first application window ran from July 15 to September 15, 2024, and additional intake windows will be announced in 2025 and beyond.

Additional Information:

• Visit for the most requested Government of Canada housing information.
• CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need, and offers unbiased housing research and advice to all levels of Canadian government, consumers and the housing industry. CMHC’s aim is that everyone in Canada has a home they can afford and that meets their needs. For more information, follow us on , , , and .
• Progress on programs and initiatives are updated quarterly on the . The shows affordable housing projects that have been developed.

SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)

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