TCHC CEO Sean Baird (right) meets federal Housing Minister Gregor Robertson at the launch of Build Canada Homes. (CNW Group/Toronto Community Housing Corporation)
This past weekend, Prime Minister Mark Carney launched Build Canada Homes, a new federal agency that he says will build affordable housing at scale.
Citing report after report indicating that finding affordable housing is a struggle to many Canadians, and particularly young Canadians, the federal government says the new agency will increase the housing supply in Canada while building affordable and community housing for low-income households, while also partnering with private market developers to build affordable homes for the Canadian middle class.
Among the strategies the agency will be structured to explore are the leveraging of public lands, financial incentives, attraction of private capital, facilitating large portfolio projects, and supporting modern manufacturers to build homes and components used in the construction of housing units.
In presenting the new agency, the government stated it will bring federal lands, faster approvals and strong incentives to the table, and the private sector will bring construction capacity, innovation, supply chains and financing.
“Canada’s new government is relentlessly focused on bringing down housing costs. Central to that mission is rapidly scaling up the supply of homes,” stated Carney. “Build Canada Homes will transform the way government works with the private sector to build. We will create an entirely new housing industry using Canadian technology, Canadian workers, and Canadian resources – and give builders the tools they need to build more, build sustainably and build at scale.”
Build Canada Homes will focus primarily on non-market housing, supporting a mix of income needs as part of a national effort to double housing construction, restore affordability, and reduce homelessness. To do that, the agency will partner with industry, other orders of government and Indigenous communities.
Carney explained that his new government will capitalize Build Canada Homes with an initial $13 billion, which will enable financing, provide land and help builders get big projects off the ground. The agency will offer flexible, financial incentives, approve large portfolio projects and leverage public lands for housing so projects are derisked and private builders can focus on building. It will also partner on and lead developments of affordable housing projects, and by using public lands, take land costs out of the equation.
To streamline construction on public lands, Canada Lands Company will be transferred under the Build Canada Homes portfolio. This will give Build Canada Homes access to the government’s land portfolio, including 88 federal properties suitable for housing listed on the Canada Public Land Bank, which span 463 hectares. That is an area roughly the size of downtown Ottawa.
The agency will place an intense focus on using cost-efficient and modern methods of construction, such as factory-built, modular and mass timber. Wherever possible, Build Canada Homes will prioritize low-carbon materials, low-carbon technologies and efficient design to help catalyze a new housing industry that builds faster and more sustainably.
“It’s not just about building more; it’s about building better and building bolder,” explained Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada. “Build Canada Homes will support new ways of building, leverage public lands and accelerate affordable home building to deliver real results for Canadians, so that everyone has a place to call home.”
To lead the mandate, the prime minister announced the appointment of Ana Bailão as chief executive officer of Build Canada Homes. Bailão is a seasoned leader with deep experience in advancing affordable housing, having served for over a decade on Toronto City Council and on the board of Toronto Community Housing. Most recently, she has served as the head of affordable housing and public affairs with the private developer Dream Unlimited Corporation.
“Affordable housing has always been more than policy. It’s a personal mission,” stated Bailão. “From my time in public office to my work in the private sector, I’ve seen firsthand how safe, stable housing transforms lives. At Build Canada Homes, we are bringing together government, industry and communities to build homes faster, smarter and more sustainably. We’re not just building units; we’re building opportunity, dignity and a future where everyone in Canada has access to the homes they need, and deserve.”
Both the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) welcomed news of the new agency.
“Build Canada Homes is an opportunity to work together to deliver the housing Canadians need,” said FCM president Rebecca Bligh. “Municipalities are ready to help shape the right mix of housing to meet affordability and homelessness challenges. With the right federal tools, including infrastructure investments that keep pace with growth, we can build lasting solutions in communities across the country.”
“Toronto Community Housing is the most prolific builder of social housing in Canada, developing over 10,000 affordable homes in our recent history. Today, we have another 10,000 new affordable units in our development pipeline that are ready to start construction. In partnership with the City of Toronto, we are ready to support the Government of Canada in their fight for housing affordability, buying Canadian materials and creating new jobs in industries across the country,” added TCHC president and CEO, Sean Baird.
