In late August, Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC) released a discussion paper on the Public Lands for Homes Plan with a request to provide direct feedback on a set of guided questions.
CHRA and our members believe that public lands should be used to achieve the greatest impact and must be used to invest in and grow non-market community housing options. All new developments on public lands should prioritize community housing as well as urban, rural, and northern Indigenous housing. By requiring that all proposals include a community housing provider, the Public Lands for Homes Plan will ensure the highest levels of long-term affordability. By prioritizing urban, rural, and northern Indigenous housing the federal government can work to address the historical inequities and injustices faced by Indigenous peoples.
On September 10, 2024, CHRA hosted a member engagement town hall to discuss the HICC discussion paper’s guiding questions with over 30 CHRA members representing community housing providers, developers, and researchers, who participated in the town hall and provided the valuable feedback that informed the responses.