From April 20-22, we hosted approximately 650 attendees, speakers, tradeshow exhibitors, and sponsors for the 2026 CHRA Congress in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. Congress attendance has been steadily increasing since we returned to in-person events in 2023 and this was our biggest gathering yet.

Read to learn about some of the 2026 Congress highlights.

 

Sunday, April 19

Indigenous Caucus Annual Members Gathering

Members of the CHRA Indigenous Caucus came together in the afternoon to work on their 2026 strategic plan.

Indigenous Caucus Social

Members of the Caucus and guests came together at Emera Innovation Exchange at the base of Signal Hill. Amazing views of the harbour, city, and landscape were complimented by an incredible performance by award-winning Inuk-Irish classical singer Deantha Edmunds.

 

Monday, April 20

Indigenous Innovation Forum

More than 100 attendees joined us on April 20 for the fourth annual Indigenous Innovation Forum, hosted by the CHRA Indigenous Caucus.

Mi'kmaq Knowledge Keeper Veronica Madsen, Chief Jenny Brake of the Qalipu First Nation, Indigenous Caucus Chair Chelsea Combot, and CHRA’s Director of Indigenous Housing Policy and Programs got the day started, which was hosted by Angela Brake of Habitat for Humanity Newfoundland and Labrador.

Attendees enjoyed a series of panels addressing:

• Indigenous Caucus Working Group priorities,
• research and data,
• development and construction, and
• Indigenous youth housing.

Pre-Congress courses

This year we hosted one full day and two half-day courses, in participation with CIH Canada. Almost 60 people attended:

• Policy Essentials: Tools, Templates & Strategies for Housing Providers
• Arts-Based Methods for Housing Research
• Advocacy Matters: Making Your Voice Count in Housing Policy

Atlantic Houser Connection

Co-hosted by CMHC's Expert Community on Housing (ECoH) Atlantic Community of Practice and the Community Housing Transformation Centre, Atlantic Connection: Whaddayat housers? brought more than 100 housers from Atlantic Canada and beyond together for an afternoon of sharing innovative initiatives and networking with peers.

Welcome party

This year’s welcome party, sponsored by the City of St. John’s was a great way to bring everyone together before the start of Congress while celebrating the unique culture of our host province. Traditional musicians entertained and attendees were welcomed by show-stealer Newfoundland dog Camino.

 

Tuesday, April 21

Congress kick-off and Keynote address

Mi'kmaq Knowledge Keeper Veronica Madsen, Chief Jenny Brake of the Qalipu First Nation, St. John's Mayor Danny Breen, Newfoundland and Labrador Minister of Housing Joedy Wall, and a wonderful performance by St. John's Mi'kmaw Women's Circle officially welcomed delegates to St. John’s.

Keynote Speaker Dr. Andrew Boozary immediately followed. He reinforced the critical link between housing and health, discussing his work integrating health care and housing to address the social determinants of health and advancing health equity and improving outcomes for underserved populations.

Sessions

CHRA’s Manager of Education Mel Willerth puts in a great deal of care into Congress programming, and this year was a standout. Session highlights from Tuesday included:

• Andrew Boozary following up on his keynote with Sean Baird of Toronto Community Housing and Rebekah Young of Scotiabank with More than “Just” Housing: The new economics of social housing
• Building Together: Atlantic Canada Case Studies in Co-operative Housing Development with speakers from Membertou First Nation, Housing Alternatives, and CHF Canada
• Moving toward 20% community housing: discussion on blind spots with speakers from FRAPRU, Université du Québec à Montréal, and FLHLMQ
• The Black Caucus Exchange with facilitators Nadia Gouveia of Toronto Community Housing, RaeChelle-Faith Ankamreddy of Network for the Advancement of Black Communities, and Vena Beckford of CHRA
• Learnings in Shared and Transitional Housing – The Story of 55 Military Road from Stella’s Circle
• Health-Focused Supportive Housing: The Dunn House Model from Fred Victor

Plus, four mobile tours:

• The Housing Centre – Connections for Seniors
• Transforming Non-Profit Housing in St. John’s
• Killick Ecovillage
• Horizons at 106

Beers with Queers and the Linkup

At the end of the day, more than 100 housers descended on YellowBelly Brewery for Beers with Queers and the Linkup Black Housers Mixer. These two new events created an inclusive space for socializing and networking outside Congress.

Rally in the Alley

The Rally in the Alley is an enduring tradition that introduces visitors to some of St. John’s culture. 125 Congress attendees enjoyed traditional dance, singalongs with Newfoundland folk songs, and a screeching in ceremony – IYKYK! Thanks for NEC Software Solutions for sponsoring this memorable night!

 

Wednesday, April 22

2026 CHRA Awards

We were proud to start off the final day of Congress by celebrating the 2026 recipients of the CHRA Awards:

• Indigenous Cultural Sustainability Award: Silver Sage Housing for Horse Dance Lodge – misatimosimôwin mîhkowâp
• Leadership Award: Craig Jones
• Outstanding Programs and Initiatives Award: Pacifica Housing Advisory Association for the Community Connections Program
• Outstanding Development Award: UWCRC 2.0 for Solara Flats

Plenary session: Ana Bailão, CEO of Build Canada Homes

We were pleased to welcome Ana Bailão to Congress. After a brief address, she sat down with CHRA Executive Director Ray Sullivan for an informal chat and took the time to answer audience questions and engage with attendees one on one following the plenary.

Sessions

Some of the highlights of our day two sessions include:

• Supportive Housing and Beyond: Shaping the future of the next national housing strategy, with speakers from Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, Ottawa Salus, Trinity Place Foundation of Alberta, Namerind Housing, and Splice Consulting
• Taking a city-wide approach to non-market housing, with speakers from the City of Montreal and la Société d’habitation et de développement de Montréal
• Creative Capital, Real Homes: How community housing projects actually get financed, from Vancity Community Investment Bank
• Unlocking Growth across Atlantic Canada with PhD Candidate Hope Jamieson and Stephan Richard from the Community Housing Transformation Centre
• Scaling Partnerships for Housing: Lessons, Failures and Resilience Across Canada with facilitators and speakers from SHS Consulting, CCOC, Cahdco, Robins Appleby LLP, York University, and Terra Housing
• Rooted in Justice: Innovations and Partnerships to End Homelessness through a lens critiquing Anti-Black Racism and Systemic Oppression from Hogan’s Alley Society

Plus two mobile tours:

• Pleasantville Housing and Supports
• A Community-led Portfolio Approach

Congress send-off

We closed out the 2026 CHRA Congress on Housing and Homelessness with a powerful send-off plenary, featuring leading voices from across the sector, with thoughtful and engaging questions from moderator Lisa Ker guiding the conversation with panelists:

• Louis-Philippe Myre, Adm.A., Executive Director, Interloge
• Maxime Pelletier, Director of Public Affairs, UTILE
• Nancy Croussette, Directrice générale, RQOH Réseau québécois des OSBL d'habitation - RQOH
• Véronique Laflamme, Public Affairs Officer & Spokesperson, FRAPRU

This French language panel was the perfect introduction to the announcement of our next Congress host city: beautiful Quebec City! We’ll see you there April 27-29, 2027!

See pictures from the 2026 Congress.