2025
What first drew me to community housing was the sense that the work really matters. I started my career working directly with tenants and saw how a safe, stable home can change a life. That early experience continues to ground my leadership and reinforce why CHRA's work matters nationally.
Serving as CHRA's Board President has given me a wider view of housing across Canada. Every community faces different challenges, and every region has its own solutions. Yet all these experiences are connected. Together they tell a national story of people committed to making housing work better for everyone. In 2025, we have seen continued innovation, collaboration, and progress across the sector.
CHRA plays a unique role in that story. It brings together housing providers, partners, and leaders from across the country to share knowledge, explore new ideas, and strengthen housing practices across the sector. Seeing the innovation and creativity happening in communities across Canada is inspiring and shows that progress often comes from collective effort.
Working together is at the heart of what we do. Local experience matters but connecting it to national conversations makes our solutions stronger. By respecting the realities of each community and sharing insights across regions, we can move forward together and build a sector that is stronger, more responsive, and more inclusive.
I am grateful to the many people in housing who lead with generosity, creativity, and an openness to learning. They make space for others to grow, share their insights, and take on leadership. CHRA's programs and events help new professionals enter the sector, learn from experienced colleagues, and bring fresh perspectives to the work.
I am especially encouraged by the next generation of housing leaders. Young professionals are coming into this field full of energy, new ideas, and a strong commitment to purpose-driven work. Their creativity and drive give me confidence that community housing will continue to grow and improve in the years ahead.
At its core, CHRA is about connection. It is a place where we come together to tackle challenges no one can solve alone. It is a place to learn, to share, and to strengthen the work we do in our communities. Most importantly, it is powered by its members. Your dedication, creativity, and support make everything possible.
Thank you for the work you do every day and for the trust you place in CHRA. It is an honour to serve as President and to stand alongside you as we build a stronger, fairer, and more resilient community housing sector for all.
May you live in interesting times. That ironic and apocryphal curse seems fitting for 2025. It was a year of major shifts around the world, and a year of “hinge moments” here at home.
The April 2025 federal election, held the day before CHRA Congress, brought in a new government, one few expected only months earlier. With it came a new approach to housing affordability. Build Canada Homes (BCH), the new federal agency, looks very different from CMHC. Where CMHC managed proscriptive programs, under limited authorities defined by the federal government, BCH sees itself as a “deal-making” agency, without the same limitations.
Two of its three stated mandates are to “grow the proportion of housing that is non-market” and “help create the conditions for a high-capacity, growth oriented non-market housing sector that can scale.”
Yet, as I write this, legislation has just been tabled to create Build Canada Homes as new crown corporation, and nowhere in that legislation does it mention non-market community housing. Instead, the legislation refers to the broader and more nebulous term “affordable housing”.
This gap matters. CHRA has always been clear that the best long-term investment in affordability is mission-driven, non-market community housing. And this is why our shared advocacy is so important. Across the country, CHRA members speak up every day for the social and economic value of non-profit, co-op, and public housing—homes focused on people and positive social outcomes, not profit.
BCH is launching just as the original National Housing Strategy reaches the end of its 10-year span. Major federal funding streams for provincial and territorial transfers, housing benefits, research, innovation, repairs, and capacity-building are coming to a close. BCH offers a fresh path for building new homes, but it does not yet sit within a clear, renewed national housing strategy.
That makes 2025 a staging ground for the years ahead. In 2026 and 2027, our sector will need to put forward a strong, united vision for non-market community housing, and show why our work is essential to realizing the right to housing in Canada.
Even with all the uncertainty that 2025 brought, some things remain absolutely certain:
Non-market community housing saves lives. It stabilizes rental markets. It provides good homes and good quality of life. Canada must rapidly expand supportive housing. We must more than double for-Indigenous, by-Indigenous housing. And we must grow community housing from today’s 4.5% of the market to at least 9% within the decade, on the way to 20% in the years that follow.
We also know what it takes to get there. We need to stay connected as a sector; sharing ideas, learning from each other’s successes and missteps, and helping one another build the capacity to grow. And we need to keep raising our collective voice, clearly and confidently, to create the conditions that allow community housing to scale and thrive.
We are Housers. We are living in interesting times. And we are here to get the job done.
The Canadian Housing and Renewal Association was established in 1968 as a national nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and strengthening the social and non-profit housing sector.
Our Vision is of a thriving housing system in Canada, where we realize the right to housing for all.
CHRA advocates for improved housing policies and programs that keep housing affordable, expand housing capacity, and work to end homelessness. We support a sustainable housing profession and work to connect the broader sector, including CHRA members who collectively house and serve more than one million people living in or seeking affordable housing.
Over the past several years, we have worked with our members and sector allies to achieve real housing policy and program gains on the federal level. Many wins for the housing sector in recent years were achieved through our consistent advocacy efforts together.
In 2025:
CHRA's strength comes from our members. As a national membership-based organization, we represent members from every Canadian province and territory. Our members include:
President, Director at Large
Vice President, People, Culture and Communications, Ottawa Community Housing Corporation
Past President, Regional Director, British Columbia
Chief Executive Officer, Aboriginal Housing Management Association
Vice President, Regional Director, Manitoba
Executive Director, Winnipeg Housing Rehabilitation Corporation
Director, Indigenous Communities
Senior Director of Policy and Stakeholder Relations, Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services
Treasurer, Regional Director, New Brunswick
Founder, Pivot Housing
Secretary, Regional Director, Newfoundland & Labrador
Senior Director of Strategy, Fund Development and External Relations, Strategic Initiatives, Choices for Youth (CFY)
Regional Director, Alberta
CEO, Trinity Place Foundation of Alberta (TPFA)
Regional Director, Nova Scotia & Prince Edward Island
Director of Community Programs, Phoenix Youth Programs
Regional Director, Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Yukon
President and CEO of the Nunavut Housing Corporation
Regional Director, Ontario
Chief Operating Officer, Toronto Community Housing
Regional Director, Quebec
Directeur général, Interloge
Regional Director, Saskatchewan
Director of Development, Namerind Housing Corporation
Director at Large
Independent Member
Director at Large
Director of Development and Homelessness Initiatives, Homes First
Executive Director
Director of Indigenous Housing Policy and Programs
Director, Events and Partnerships
Director, Policy and Government Relations
Senior Manager of Communications and Member Engagement
Senior Manager of Education
Finance and Operations Manager
Coordinator, Communications and Member Engagement
Event Program Coordinator
Membership & Program Coordinator
In 2025, CHRA’s policy and advocacy work remained focused on one goal: making it easier for our members to build, protect, and operate community housing at scale. Through sustained engagement with government, strong coalition leadership, and member-driven research, CHRA ensured that community housing priorities were not only heard but reflected in federal decisions.
The announcement of a new federal government agency, Build Canada Homes (BCH), is one of the more substantial shifts in the federal government’s approach to non-market community housing.
Making sure that BCH works for the community housing sector was and remains one of CHRA's top priorities. We started the engagement process as soon as BCH was announced as an election commitment, to make sure our member’s priorities were reflected in its design.
Throughout the summer we held member consultations with the officials directly responsible for the implementation of BCH. These consultations informed many of the early, and positive commitments made by BCH including: a strong focus on non-market community housing, income-based measures of affordability, and much more flexible and adaptable program requirements than have been seen with traditional programs under CMHC.
Through the fall, CHRA and our members engaged directly with all levels of the federal government to ensure that BCH delivers on its commitment to grow and scale non-profit housing in Canada. CHRA remains committed to ensuring that BCH and its initial capitalization of $13 billion serves as a foundation for greater investments and commitments for non-market community housing in the years to come.
The 2025 federal budget reflected years of consistent advocacy by CHRA and our members to stabilize funding, expand non-market supply, and strengthen the delivery systems that community housing providers rely on.
In Budget 2025 we saw a clear outline of what the $13 billion announced for Build Canada Homes would mean. This initial capitalization included $1.5 billion for the previously announced Canada Rental Protection Fund, $1.515 billion to build housing on federal government lands, $1 billion for supportive and transitional housing, and approximately $9 billion in undisclosed funding and financing.
Budget 2025 once again recycled promises to support housing for urban, rural and northern Indigenous communities, including repeating the $2.8 billion in unallocated funds, first announced in Budget 2023. Getting this long-delayed funding out into communities remains a major priority for CHRA.
In a federal election year, CHRA leaned into its role as a trusted, non-partisan policy leader. Working with allies, CHRA helped housing remain an election issue amid a heavy focus on economic threats and Canadian sovereignty.
Through the Housing Canada Coalition, CHRA worked alongside partners the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness, Habitat for Humanity Canada, and the Canadian Real Estate Association to present a unified and credible vision for federal housing leadership. The Coalition’s End the Housing Game campaign was a public engagement campaign that worked to reach everyday Canadians and ensure that housing remained a priority through a turbulent election.
CHRA also equipped members with tools to engage candidates, host local conversations, and press for concrete commitments, through our election toolkit and member webinars. CHRA ensured that the campaign spoke directly to the realities facing non-profit, public, co-operative, and Indigenous housing providers.
CHRA’s advocacy delivered a clear and tangible win for members with the federal government’s decision to add $1.5 billion in loan funding to extend the Affordable Housing Fund.
Consistently, CHRA raised alarms about project delays, rising costs, and financing uncertainty. We brought member experiences directly to policymakers, demonstrating how gaps in the Affordable Housing Fund pipeline were already affecting communities across the country. The resulting top-up validated those concerns and underscored the importance of having a strong national voice for community housing.
This outcome reinforced what CHRA exists to do: turn member realities into policy action.
Housing on the Hill continues to be one of CHRA’s most effective advocacy engagement opportunities. Housing on the Hill 2025 was one of the largest in CHRA’s history with over 100 participants meeting with more than 90 parliamentarians and decision-makers in Ottawa.
Together, we delivered a powerful and consistent message that community housing providers are ready to meet housing need, but need stable funding, streamlined programs, and long-term policy certainty to do so. Feedback from participants and elected officials alike confirmed the value of these direct conversations.
By creating space for members to speak for themselves, backed by CHRA’s policy leadership, Housing on the Hill 2025 ensured that federal housing discussions were grounded in community experience and practical solutions.
CHRA’s research work in 2025 played a critical role in reinforcing advocacy efforts with clear and accessible evidence.
This year our key publications were:
These pieces were not produced in isolation. They were actively used in meetings with government, shared with coalition partners, and cited in public conversations about housing policy. Together, they helped position CHRA as a solutions-oriented organization that pairs advocacy with practical and evidence-based recommendations.
In 2025, CHRA consulted members to keep our policy and advocacy priorities aligned with member needs and the evolving federal landscape.
This process reaffirmed that CHRA’s core objective must remain doubling the share of non-market community housing over the next decade, with a particular focus on growing For-Indigenous, By-Indigenous urban, rural, and northern housing and supportive housing. To do this we need to ensure that we have:
The refreshed framework will guide CHRA’s advocacy work in the years ahead and ensure that our policy positions remain clear, strategic, and member driven.
Chair’s Statement: Calling for Immediate Urban, Rural and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy Implementation
Across the country, Indigenous housing providers continue to respond to growing demand, rising construction costs, aging housing stock, and increasing complexity in tenant needs. Too many Indigenous community members still face the daily reality of searching for safe, affordable housing that simply does not exist in their communities, forcing individuals and families into overcrowded conditions, unsafe or unstable arrangements, and experiences of homelessness. Across the country, rates of homelessness are reaching historic highs.
In November, Canada’s 2025 federal budget promised the implementation of the Urban, Rural and Northern (URN) Indigenous Housing Strategy, yet Indigenous-specific investments have not yet materialized at the scale or speed required.
Shortly after the tabling of the budget, the National Housing Council’s Neha Review Panel final report was released. Within the first recommendation, the National Housing Council calls upon the federal government to, “uphold and expand funding commitments to the Urban, Rural, and Northern (URN) Indigenous Housing Strategy.”
This has been the resounding message that the CHRA Indigenous Caucus has brought forward to the federal government. Indigenous-led community housing solutions cannot succeed on episodic announcements. We require sustained, predictable investment and recognition that Indigenous housing providers are essential infrastructure partners with decades of expertise in providing safe, culturally appropriate housing solutions from coast, to coast, to coast. We have carried the voice of our Caucus members, who know firsthand how urgent the housing crisis facing Indigenous peoples in urban, rural, and northern communities remains. Investments in Indigenous housing generate social, economic, and community returns that extend well beyond the housing units themselves.
In the year ahead, we will continue to engage constructively with federal partners while calling for URN Indigenous Housing Strategy implementation and long-term funding certainty. At the same time, we will prioritize advancing the Caucus by reinforcing our governance, implementing our strategic plan, and deepening sector coordination, because lasting change requires operating from a solid foundation with a strong collaborative focus.
I want to acknowledge the dedication of Caucus members across the country who continue to lead and share their time and skills with the CHRA in challenging conditions. Your expertise, persistence, and commitment to community remain the foundation of this work.
We move forward grounded in self-determination, strengthened by collaboration, and focused on building the conditions that will ensure Indigenous-led housing solutions are built that will make our future generations thrive.
Since its establishment in 2013, the Indigenous Caucus has brought together Indigenous-led and Indigenous--serving- organizations committed to advancing housing solutions for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples in urban, rural, and northern (URN) communities. Over the years, the Caucus has continued to strengthen its role as a national voice for Indigenous housing providers, advocating for policies and investments that reflect the realities of Indigenous communities.
Across Turtle Island, 2025 was marked by political transition, delayed funding decisions, and uncertainty surrounding the implementation of the URN Indigenous Housing Strategy. Indigenous housing providers continued to face persistent challenges, from stalled funding flows to evolving federal structures. In response, the Indigenous Caucus demonstrated coordinated leadership, sector alignment, and sustained advocacy to ensure Indigenous priorities remained visible and protected.
In 2025, the Caucus focused on accountability for the federal government’s $2.8 billion commitment to a For Indigenous, By Indigenous URN Indigenous housing strategy. Through public engagement, coalition building, and national collaboration, the Caucus worked to maintain momentum while preparing the sector for implementation once decisions were finalized-.
Since its establishment in 2013, the Indigenous Caucus has brought together Indigenous-led and Indigenous--serving- organizations committed to advancing housing solutions for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples in urban, rural, and northern (URN) communities. Over the years, the Caucus has continued to strengthen its role as a national voice for Indigenous housing providers, advocating for policies and investments that reflect the realities of Indigenous communities.
Across Turtle Island, 2025 was marked by political transition, delayed funding decisions, and uncertainty surrounding the implementation of the URN Indigenous Housing Strategy. Indigenous housing providers continued to face persistent challenges, from stalled funding flows to evolving federal structures. In response, the Indigenous Caucus demonstrated coordinated leadership, sector alignment, and sustained advocacy to ensure Indigenous priorities remained visible and protected.
In 2025, the Caucus focused on accountability for the federal government’s $2.8 billion commitment to a For Indigenous, By Indigenous URN Indigenous housing strategy. Through public engagement, coalition building, and national collaboration, the Caucus worked to maintain momentum while preparing the sector for implementation once decisions were finalized-.
The Indigenous Innovation Forum was delivered alongside CHRA Congress programming and continued to serve as a national gathering space for Indigenous housing leadership. The Annual Members’ Gathering was held in person during Congress week and supported national relationship building and sector dialogue. An Indigenous Caucus social event was also hosted during Congress Week to strengthen member connections.
In March, 2025 the Indigenous Caucus issued national Calls to Action demanding the release of the URN delivery body and release of the federal $2.8 billion commitment from Federal Budget 2023.
Indigenous housing leaders met with then Minister Nathaniel Erskine Smith to accelerate- implementation of the URN Indigenous Housing Strategy.
The Caucus held a national press conference in Ottawa addressing delays to the URN Indigenous Housing Strategy and the federal funding commitment.
I8In November, the Indigenous Caucus, the National Indigenous Collaborative Housing Inc. (NICHI), and the National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC) submitted a letter to the federal government responding to Budget 2025 welcoming the renewed commitment to Indigenous housing but noting that many promises from Budget 2023 remain unfulfilled.
In March, 2025 the Indigenous Caucus issued national Calls to Action demanding the release of the URN delivery body and release of the federal $2.8 billion commitment from Federal Budget 2023.
Indigenous housing leaders met with then Minister Nathaniel Erskine Smith to accelerate- implementation of the URN Indigenous Housing Strategy.
The Caucus held a national press conference in Ottawa addressing delays to the URN Indigenous Housing Strategy and the federal funding commitment.
I8In November, the Indigenous Caucus, the National Indigenous Collaborative Housing Inc. (NICHI), and the National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC) submitted a letter to the federal government responding to Budget 2025 welcoming the renewed commitment to Indigenous housing but noting that many promises from Budget 2023 remain unfulfilled.
In March, a national opinion editorial by Margaret Pfoh was published highlighting the impact of delayed Indigenous housing commitments.
The CHRA blog launched its Indigenous Sector Leader series in March with an interview with Caucus Chair Jackie Hunt in March, following up with an interview with NICHI CEO John Gordon in October. We also published a collaborative Indigenous History Month blog post in June.
In the spring of 2025, we started recruitment for Indigenous Caucus Working Group members for a renewable three-year term with expanded regional representation.
Throughout the year, the Caucus continued review of the 2025–26 Indigenous Caucus Strategic Plan, focusing on improving participation and meeting attendance. We also launched a membership renewal and recruitment strategy.
The Caucus maintained ongoing collaboration with National Indigenous Collaborative Housing Inc. (NICHI), including preliminary discussions toward a Memorandum of Understanding. The Caucus also engaged national housing organizations and sector partners to align advocacy messaging and strengthen coordinated action.
In 2025, the federal URN Indigenous Housing Strategy remained the central priority for the Indigenous Caucus. Parliamentary delays and government transition slowed implementation and funding release. The Caucus maintained national advocacy efforts to ensure commitments remained visible, protected, and ready for implementation once decisions were finalized.
From April 29-May 1, we hosted more than 600 attendees, speakers, tradeshow exhibitors, and sponsors in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan for the 2025 CHRA Congress—our biggest since we returned to in-person events in 2023.
More than half of 2025 attendees who responded to our post-Congress survey identified themselves as first-time attendees, and as having worked in the community housing and homelessness sector for fewer than five years.
On April 29, more than 150 attendees joined us for the ever popular, third annual Indigenous Innovation Forum (IIF), hosted by the Indigenous Caucus.
IIF’s speaker panels highlighted solutions to meet the needs of Indigenous Peoples living in urban, rural, and northern areas. Speakers included Keynote Kim Kakakaway from A Way Home Canada, Saskatoon Tribal Chief Mark Arcand, and Saskatchewan MLA April ChiefCalf.
Also on April 29, we offered three pre-Congress courses in partnership with CIH Canada. Nearly 100 delegates attended:
Congress itself took place April 30-May 1. This year’s sessions were focused on housing justice, equity, innovation, creative problem-solving, and case studies that illustrated some of the exciting developments taking place in community housing across the country. Métis Nation-Saskatchewan, one of the title sponsors, hosted a stream of sessions that highlighted some of the challenges, opportunities, and realities of housing for Métis and First Nations communities in Saskatchewan.
The Black Caucus held its second annual meeting over lunch on April 30 and our first Supportive Housing Working Group meeting was held over lunch on May 1.
Keynote Speaker Dr. Prentiss Dantzler, Associate Professor and Founding Director of the Housing Justice Lab at the University of Toronto gave us an engaging look into housing justice and the housing challenges facing racialized communities, challenging us to address implicit biases and work towards a more equitable future.
Following Congress on May 2, Métis Nation-Saskatchewan offered a free event for Congress attendees – the Special Métis Experience at Batoche. 100 lucky attendees enjoyed an unforgettable day of Métis history, culture, and community, which included a guided Tour of Batoche Historic Site, lunch at Dumont Lodge, a bison viewing, and more. Thanks once again to Métis Nation-Saskatchewan for offering this unique experience.
Housing on the Hill Day is an annual event organized by CHRA that facilitates meetings between housing professionals, Members of Parliament, and federal decision-makers to discuss issues of importance to the social and non-profit housing sector.
On December 2, 127 attendees (our largest Hill Day yet) including delegates came together to advocate for the community housing sector’s role in solving the housing crisis. Delegate teams met with more than 90 Parliamentarians while ongoing programming was offered throughout the day, including addresses from MP Scott Aitchison, Conservative Party of Canada Housing Critic, Jenny Kwan, New Democratic Party Housing Critic, and a fireside chat with the newly named CEO of Build Canada Homes, Ana Bailão.
For the first time ever, we offered a day pass registration option, which allowed attendees to access the sessions throughout the day, offering an educational and networking experience for those unable to attend advocacy meetings.
Registrants were invited to attend an online session briefing on our key advocacy messages on November 20, as well as an in-person advocacy training session on December 1.
More than 80 people attended a free screening of Brian Doucet’s documentary Thinking Beyond the Market: a film about genuinely affordable housing on the evening of December 1.
In September 2025, the CHRA/CIH Canada Study Tour took 29 members to Helsinki, Finland. Highlights included visiting No Fixed Abode’s Restorative Practice and Nature Based support to see the villa called Vartiosaari; a peer run vacation place where people can rest, sleep, and get support for access into housing after leaving the camp. Attendees enjoyed visiting many different kinds of housing first locations and learning how funding housing can reduce poverty on such a wide scale.
We’re looking forward to our 2026 Study Tour to Copenhagen, Denmark.
At the end of June, CHRA hosted an in-person workshop in Ottawa to help shape our approach to Build Canada Homes. More than 30 attendees shared practical ideas and insights on how to deliver more affordable community housing, and the workshop concluded with a dialogue with federal officials, including Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Gregor Robertson.
CHRA released Accelerating the Creation of New Community Housing in September, 2025; a report that summarizes the key takeaways from the community housing providers that participated in the workshop.
Our webinars tackle a range of housing issues in Canada with discussions on the most relevant housing and homelessness issues and solutions. These sessions showcase housing experts as they profile leading research, projects, and promising practices. Our online member engagement sessions give CHRA members access to sector information and inform our advocacy efforts.
A 2025 Housing Professionals Mentorship Program mentee Meghan Hollett had the idea to start a CHRA book club. The CHRA Housing Book Club launched in February with Carolyn Whitzman’s book Home Truths.
Since then, this very popular this virtual book club has met on the second Friday of every other month to explore and discuss books, Canadian, when possible, that dive into the many dimensions of housing issues in Canada.
In spring 2025, CHRA partnered with Community Housing Coverage (CHC) and HUB International to offer a digital tenant insurance solution designed specifically for CHRA members.
The program’s uptake has been slow, but we look forward to working with CHC to improve the program and get the word out to CHRA members in 2026.
The 2SLGBTQ Community of Practice (CoP) brings together housing professionals, advocates, and organizations from across Canada who are committed to advancing inclusion and equity in housing for 2SLGBTQ communities.
Rooted in shared learning and collaboration, this space is designed to connect housers who are working to make their organizations and communities safer, more affirming, and more responsive to diverse lived experiences.
The CoP launched with monthly meetings, but with busy schedules, they became bi-monthly meetings. The group met at an in-person session during Congress. We continue to build participation and support for the CoP, as there is a need for the group and we will continue to offer this dedicated forum for dialogue, resource sharing, and mutual support.
In spring 2025, CHRA partnered with Community Housing Coverage (CHC) and HUB International to offer a digital tenant insurance solution designed specifically for CHRA members.
The program’s uptake has been slow, but we look forward to working with CHC to improve the program and get the word out to CHRA members in 2026.
The Housing Professionals Mentorship Program (HPMP) connects today’s leaders in community housing with the leaders of tomorrow. Canada’s community housing sector is in a period of transformation; HPMP is working to help strengthen and build sustainability into the sector.
The Program’s work is centred around leadership, community, and making the housing sector an exciting and welcoming place to build a career.
HPMP participants can expect to commit a minimum of 25 hours over six months. They get access to online learning, leadership and networking opportunities, discounts on CHRA Congress registration, and more.
The 2025-2026 cohort began in September and will wrap up in the spring of 2026. Every mentee who signed up was paired with a mentor for a total of 22 mentee/mentor pairs.
CIH Canada currently has 137 members, with growth strategies in place to retain current members and increase our membership base.
2025 saw increased time, interest and volunteer hours coming from our Education Committee, where members took on the task of looking at where CIH has been and starting to imagine how it could grow. A new strategic business plan came out of this committee which looks at what CIH could be in the next one, three, five, 10 years, and beyond. CIH discussed its potential with respect to Build Canada Homes.
2025 saw a renewed work and effort put into recruiting learners as well. An engagement plan was created alongside the communications team from CHRA, and that has been implemented alongside social media strategies.
We also increased communication and collaboration with our partner organisations and provinces in BC, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario.
The CIH/CHRA study tour brought 15 CIH and 15 CHRA members to Helsinki, Finland, where we saw firsthand the impact that housing first policies can have, leading to discussions on education, viewpoints, professionalization, and more.
Thank you to the committed group of people who led CIH Canada as the Board of Directors in 2025
The CHRA Awards honour the leaders and innovators of the community housing and homelessness sector, highlighting the exceptional people and programs that go above and beyond to ensure a safe and affordable home for all. The Awards draw attention to the exceptional achievements of the community housing sector on a national stage and inspire positive change in the housing sector.
Following a brief hiatus in 2024, during which we revitalized the awards program to better fit the needs and realities of our members and the wider community housing sector, we were proud to honour the recipients of the 2025 CHRA Awards at our Congress in Saskatoon on May 1.
This award recognizes an Indigenous-led and -serving organization that offers culturally appropriate housing and services by successfully integrating Indigenous culture, language, and traditions into its design, programming, and other offerings.
Skigin Elnoog is Indigenous-governed and operated organization that provides more than 400 units of affordable Indigenous housing throughout New Brunswick.
Completed in 2024, the Mahsus Lane project is a 17-unit building for Indigenous seniors and people who have physical disabilities. As the first project in Fredericton dedicated to Indigenous seniors, it fills an important gap within the spectrum of urban Indigenous housing.
Mahsus Lane’s community gathering room provides a base for teaching ancestral arts, crafts, and language for the wider Indigenous community and accommodates the residents' own activities and special events - everything from bingo to feasts of traditional Indigenous foods.
The high-quality housing and environment will foster residents' health and well-being for years to come, enabling them to serve in many community roles - from leading cultural sustainability programs at Under One Sky Friendship Centre to serving as elders in the wider community.
Indigenous Cultural Sustainability Award: Organization
This award honours an organization that has implemented an innovative program or initiative that supports the needs of its community.
Invisible People is a non-profit dedicated to educating the public about homelessness through innovative storytelling, news, and advocacy. Since its launch in 2008, Invisible People has become a pioneer and a trusted resource for inspiring action and raising awareness in support of advocacy, policy change, and thoughtful dialogue around poverty in North America and the United Kingdom.
Invisible People imagines a world where everyone has a place to call home. They work to fight homelessness by giving it a face while educating individuals about the systemic issues that contribute to its existence. Through storytelling, education, news, and activism, they are changing the narrative on homelessness.
Each year, Invisible People’s groundbreaking educational content reaches more than a billion people across the globe. The real and unfiltered stories of homelessness shatter stereotypes, demand attention, and deliver a call-to-action to be answered by governments, non-profit organizations, and everyday citizens.
Outstanding Programs and Initiatives Award: Organization
This award honours leadership in the housing and homelessness sector. Nominees are individuals who exemplify excellence in leadership within their organizations, communities, the housing and homelessness sector, and/or on the national stage.
Pamela Hine exemplifies excellence in leadership within the affordable sustainable community housing sector in the North and across the nation from coast to coast to coast.
Pam’s experience in leadership and as a volunteer speaks volumes of her impact on the community housing sector in the north, across the country, and internationally. In her Vice-President roles at CMHC, as President of Yukon Housing Corporation, as Deputy Minister for the Government of Nunavut, and as a board member for Rooftops International, Habitat for Humanity, and CHRA, Pam has always been guided by her deep commitment to housing and social justice.
Pam is an outspoken supporter of community development and understands the unique challenges and solutions of providing housing in the north.
Pam’s values and her commitment to making the world a better place make her an inspiration to her peers and to the next generation of housing professionals.
Leadership Award: Individual
This award honours an organization that has completed an innovative and ambitious community housing/shelter development/redevelopment that meets housing need in its community.
The Lions at Fleming is a 137-unit affordable rental community owned and operated by the Greater Victoria Housing Society, in Esquimalt, British Columbia. part of the Greater Victoria region.
The Lions offers larger units for families – five three-bedroom units, and six two-storey four-bedroom units – as well as a number of fully accessible units as well as amenities including two large bike rooms with EV plug-ins, a toddler play structure, and three large common spaces for tenant use.
The Lions at Fleming was constructed using Passive House methods, including a zero-emission heat pump using domestic hot water, which creates cool air as a byproduct, helping to eliminate the need for air conditioning.
The Lions at Fleming is an inspiration for community housing providers; it shows that when a development is conceived with the needs of residents and environmental sustainability in mind, it can foster a thriving community.
Outstanding Development Award: Organization
| Description | 2025 | 2024 | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| REVENUES | PRODUITS | ||
| Membership fees & Programs revenue | $458,006 | $453,537 | Cotisations des membres et produits de programmes |
| Registration fees | $665,826 | $531,329 | Frais d'inscription |
| Grants | $191,915 | $43,250 | Subventions |
| Sponsorship/advertising | $431,600 | $334,175 | Commandites/publicité |
| Management services | $71,000 | $80,750 | Services de gestion |
| Partnership funding | $83,275 | $44,500 | Financement des partenaires |
| Investment income | $18,288 | $9,512 | Revenus de placements |
| Miscellaneous revenue | $800 | $1,200 | Produits divers |
| TOTAL REVENUES | $1,920,710 | $1,498,253 | TOTAL DES PRODUITS |
| EXPENSES | CHARGES | ||
| Salaries and benefits | $836,325 | $782,240 | Salaires et avantages sociaux |
| Events and facilities | $267,526 | $344,942 | Événements et installations |
| Programming | $213,072 | $176,481 | Programmation |
| Travel | $41,900 | $63,634 | Frais de déplacement |
| Communications and media | $29,100 | $15,383 | Communications et médias |
| Contracted services | $47,804 | $57,419 | Services en sous-traitance |
| Service charges | $34,759 | $42,302 | Frais de service et intérêts |
| Occupancy costs | $18,488 | $35,689 | Frais d'occupation |
| TOTAL EXPENSES | $1,628,354 | $1,682,759 | TOTAL DES CHARGES |
| EXCESS OF REVENUES OVER EXPENSES | $292,356 | ($184,506) | EXCÉDENT DES PRODUITS PAR RAPPORT AUX CHARGES |
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION
DECEMBER 31, 2025
ÉTAT DE LA SITUATION FINANCIÈRE
31 DÉCEMBRE 2025
| Description | 2025 | 2024 | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASSETS | ACTIF | ||
| Cash | $493,655 | $461,172 | Encaisse |
| Accounts receivable | $5,226 | $24,866 | Débiteurs |
| Contribution receivable | $33,823 | - | Contribution à recevoir |
| Term deposits, 2.90% to 4.75% | $175,842 | $109,716 | Dépôts à terme, 2,90 % à 4,75 % |
| Prepaid expenses | $166,641 | $156,320 | Frais payés d'avance |
| SUB-TOTAL ASSETS | $875,187 | $752,074 | SOUS-TOTAL DES ACTIFS |
| Term deposits, 2.85%, maturing in May 2027 | $53,629 | $111,411 | Dépôts à terme 2,85 %, échéant en mai 2027 |
| Capital Assets (Note 3) | $1,474 | $1,311 | Immobilisations (note 3) |
| TOTAL ASSETS | $930,290 | $864,796 | TOTAL DES ACTIFS |
| LIABILITIES | PASSIF | ||
| Accounts payable and accrued liabilities | $51,666 | $70,248 | Créditeurs et frais courus |
| Deferred revenues (Note 5) | $255,541 | $463,821 | Produits reportés (note 5) |
| TOTAL LIABILITIES | $307,207 | $534,069 | TOTAL DU PASSIF |
| NET ASSETS | ACTIF NET | ||
| Unrestricted | $323,083 | $180,727 | Non affecté |
| Stabilization Reserve Fund | $225,000 | $150,000 | Fonds de réserve de stabilisation |
| Federal Elections Reserve Fund | $25,000 | - | Fonds de réserve des élections fédérales |
| Indigenous Caucus Reserve Fund | $50,000 | - | Fonds de réserve du Caucus autochtone |
| TOTAL LIABILITIES & NET ASSETS | $930,290 | $864,796 | TOTAL DU PASSIF ET DE L'ACTIF NET |
2B Developments
5468796 Architecture / Shared Ground
A Way Home Canada
Abbeyfield Houses Society of Canada
Aboriginal Housing Society of Prince George
Aboriginal Labour Force Development Circle
Accueil Bonneau
Aditya Bhyan
AdvantAge Ontario
Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario
Affordable 360
Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia
Affordable Housing Societies
AGRTQ
AHMA
Ahmadiyya Abode of Peace
Alberta Seniors & Community Housing Association
Alberta Seniors and Housing
Aleksey Cameron
Alliance des corporations d'habitations abordables du territoire du Québec
Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa
Andrea Warren
Annelise van der Veen
Antigonish Affordable Housing Society
Aqanttanam Housing Society
Arcori Inc.
Attainable Homes Calgary
Ballenas Housing Society
Batir son quartier
BC Non-Profit Housing Association
BC Society of Transition Houses
Bessant Pelech Associates Inc (BPAinc)
Bethlehem Housing and Support Services
Big Block Construction
Bissell Centre
Blue Door
Brandon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation
Brantford Native Housing
Brentwood Family Housing Society
Brightside Community Homes Foundation
Buffalo Narrows Friendship Centre
Cahdco
Calgary Housing
Cameron Gray
Camponi Housing
Canadian Alliance for Transit-Connected Housing (CATCH)
Canadian Association of Social Workers
Canadian Helen Keller Centre
Canadian Housing Evidence Collaborative
Canadian Mental Health Association - Ottawa
Canadian Mental Health Association - Sudbury/ Manitoulin
Canadian Network of Community Land Trusts
Cape Breton Community Housing Association
Carleton Housing Lloydminster Inc.
Catherine Boucher
Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation
CF Real Estate Advisory
Chartwell Baptist Community Homes Inc.
Cheryl Forchuk
CHF BC
Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario
Choices for Youth
Circle Community LandTrust
City of Edmonton
City of Fredericton
City of Grande Prairie
City of Lethbridge
City of Ottawa
City of Peterborough
City of Saskatoon
City of St. John's
City of Toronto
Civida
Claude Roy
Coast Mental Health
COCHF
Columbus Place for Seniors of Fort Frances Inc.
Community Connections Society of Southeast BC
Community Living Toronto
Congress of Aboriginal Peoples
Connections for Seniors
Connective
Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada
CORCAN – Correctional Service Canada
Cornerstone Housing for Women
Corporation d'habitation Jeanne-Mance
Corporation Waskahegen
County of Lambton, Social Services
Covenant House Toronto
CQCH
Cress Housing Corporation - Saskatoon Tribal Council
Daryl Sexsmith
Dennis Carr
Dixon Hall
DNSSAB
Donna Mayer
DTES Community Land Trust Associtaion
E. Victoria Bomberry
Ecuhome Corporation
Eden Health Care Services
EFry Vancouver
Elkin Florez Salamanca
EllisDon Community Builders
End Homelessness St. John's
End Homelessness Winnipeg
Entre Nous Femmes Housing Society
Equal Housing Initiative Inc.
Evangel Hall Mission
Everbloom Homes CIC
Fabio Costante
Fédération de l'habitation coopérative du Québec
Fédération des OSBL d'habitation de l'Outaouais
Federation des OSBL d'habitation des 3L (FOH3L)
Fédération régionale des OBNL d'habitation de Québec Chaudière-Appalaches
First Light St. Johns Friendship Center
First united
FNHIC
FOHM
FRAPRU
Fred Victor Centre
Friends of Ruby
Gitxsan Child and Family Services Society
Good Shepherd Non-Profit Homes Inc.
got mold?
Granville Mennonite Housing Society
Greater Miramichi Regional Service Commission
Greater Victoria Housing Society
Green Acres Foundation
Gregory Suttor
Grey Mountain Housing Society
Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity Canada
Habitat for Humanity Greater Ottawa
Habitat for Humanity Northumberland
Heartland Housing Foundation
Hogan's Alley Society
Homes First Society
HomeSpace
Homeward Public Affairs
Homeward Trust Edmonton
Hope Jamieson
HOUSE Canada
Housing Assessment Resource Tools
Housing Hub of New Brunswick
Housing NWT
Housing Trust
Iler Campbell LLP
Immeuble Populaire de Québec
INDIGENOUS SOCIAL HOUSING
Indwell
Inter Faith Homes (Centenary) Corporation
Interloge
Ishbel Solvason
James Tolley
Janet Hope
Jillian Ames
John Fox
John Howard Society Ottawa
John Howard Society SENB Inc.
Jordan Farber
Joyce Potter
Ken Foulds
Kiwanis Homes
Leduc Regional Housing Foundation
Leigh Bursey
Les Centres d'Accueil Heritage
Liberty Housing Organization
LiveWorkPlay
Louise Atkins
Lu'ma Native Housing Society
Lynn Hannley
M'akola Housing Society
Manitoba Housing
Mary Kenny
McAdam Seniors Housing Complex
MCFS
Medicine Hat Community Housing Society
Melinda Zytaruk
Metis Capital Housing Corporation
Metis Nation of Ontario
Metis Nation- Saskatchewan
Metro Vancouver
MHCHS
Mission Old Brewery
Miziwe Biik Development Corporation
MNPHA
Montfort Renaissance inc.
Mosaic Non-Profit Housing
MQHS
Multifaith Housing Initiative
Muskoka Community Land Trust
Namerind Housing Corporation
National Affordable Housing Corp
National Indigenous Collaborative Housing Inc.
National Indigenous Homelessness Council
National Indigenous Women's Housing Network
NBNPHA
NEC Software Solutions
Neighbours Community Homes
Nellie's
Nepean Housing Corporation
Nesting Ground
Network for the Advancement of Black Communities (NABC)
New Brunswick Housing Corporation
New Chelsea Society
New Commons Development
Niara van Gaalen
Nick Falvo
Niginan Housing Ventures
Noel Simpson
Nolan Goyette
Norfolk Housing Association
Northern Spruce Housing Corp
Northtown Co-operative Homes
Northumberland County
Nova Scotia Non-Profit Housing Association
NPTBDC Indigenous Housing
Nunavut Association of Non-Profit Organizations
Nunavut Housing Corporation
One Bowl Housing Corporation
Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services
Ontario Native Women's Association
Onward Homes Society
Options Housing
Ottawa Community Housing Corporation
Ottawa Community Land Trust
Ottawa Salus Corporation
P.A. Community Housing Society Inc.
Pacifica Housing
Pamela Hine
PARC
Parry Sound Non Profit Housing Corporation
Partners for Affordable Housing
PEI Housing Corporation
Peninsula Estates Housing Society, doing business as UNITI
Phil Brown
Phoenix Society
Phoenix Youth Programs
Pivot Housing Solutions
Prince George Native Friendship Centre
Quadrangle NL
Radha Boodia
Raising the Roof / Chez Toit
Ranch Ehrlo Society
Red Door Housing Society
Reena Inc.
Region of Peel - Human Services
Region of Waterloo
Regroupement des offices d'habitation du Québec
Rehabitat Inc.
Rental Protection Fund
Resource Assistance for Youth
REST Centres
Rising Tide Community Initiatives
River Bank Development Corp
Robert Cohen
Robin Browne
Rooftops Canada
Rooted: Community Development Partners
RQOH
Sacajawea Non Profit Housing Inc.
Safe at Home Society
Safehaven
Sandy Hill Housing Co-operative
Saskatchewan Co-operative Association
Saskatoon Housing Initiative Programs
Seán Riley
Seton Foundation Limited
SHIP
SHS Inc.
Siksika Off Reserve Affordable Housing (SORAH)
Silver Sage
Sinneave Family Foundation
SIRCAAQ
Skigin Elnoog Housing Corp.
Social Enterprise Fund (Edmonton Community Foundation)
Social Housing Registry of Ottawa
South Shore Transition House Association
SPARC BC
Spotlight Development Inc.
St Clares Multifaith
Stella's Circle Community Services
Steve Pomeroy
Stewart Properties
Streets Alive Family Support Association
Student Housing Nova Scotia
Sylvain Piché
Tapestry Community Capital
Terra Housing Consultants
The 519
The Agency for Co-operative Housing
The Centre
The Elder Statesmen Group
The Neighbourhood Land Trust
The Region of Durham
The Regional Municipality of York
The Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa
Tikva Housing
Tim Welch
Toronto Alliance to End Homelessness
Toronto Community Housing
Treaty 7 Urban Indian Housing Authority
Trellis Society for Community Impact
Trillium Housing
Trinity Place Foundation of Alberta
Turning Point Recovery Society
UNITI
University of Toronto
Upper Hammonds Plains Community Land Trust
Uquutaq Society
UTILE
UWCRC 2.0 Inc.
Vancity Community Foundation
Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre Society
Vernon Native Housing Society
Veterans' House Canada
Victor Willis
Victoria Park Community Homes
Ville de Montréal - Service de l'habitation
Wachiay Friendship Centre Society
Wenjikwom Housing Commission Society
Western Manitoba Seniors Non-Profit Housing Co-op
Wigwamen Incorporated
Winnipeg Housing Rehabilitation Corporation
Winnipeg Inner City Missions
Winter Fedyk
Women's Shelters Canada
Wood Buffalo Wellness Society
WoodGreen Community Housing Inc.
YMCA Ottawa
Youth Without Shelter (YWS)
Yukon Housing Corp
Our mission is to ensure all Canadians have an affordable, secure and decent place to call home.
