News
The Housing Professionals Mentorship Program Launches New Website
The Housing Professionals Mentorship Program is now receiving applications for the 2021 cohort! Since 2018, HPMP has matched experienced housing leaders with those who are just starting out to build networks, develop leadership skills and share discoveries about community housing and homelessness. This year, HPMP has launched a brand new website that shares all the…
Congratulations to the 2020 CHRA National Award Recipients!
On September 8, CHRA was very proud to honour the recipients of the 2020 CHRA National Awards. In response to having CHRA’s National Congress on Housing and Homelessness cancelled due to COVID-19, CHRA held its Annual Awards Ceremony for the first time ever in virtual format. Congratulations to our following…
Submission to the House of Commons Finance Committee 2021 Pre-Budget Consultation
CHRA has submitted a brief to the House of Commons Finance Committee as part of the Committee’s annual pre-budget consultation process in advance of the 2021 federal budget. CHRA’s overlying theme is that investments in affordable housing should be the key focus of a post-pandemic economic stimulus package. Specifically, CHRA…
Register for CHRA’s Virtual Housing on the Hill: September 29
CHRA is happy to announce that registration for the annual Housing on the Hill Day is now open. Taking place on September 29, the 2020 version of Housing on the Hill Day will be in a virtual format due to the ongoing pandemic. Housing on the Hill Day is an annual event where registrants have…
Statement by the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association
The tragic death of George Floyd at the hands of American police officers has rightfully raised the issue of racism in our society, regardless of borders. The community housing sector exists to provide shelter and services to all people in need, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender, age,…
CHRA Shares its Pandemic and Post-Pandemic Visions for Housing with Federal Minister
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, CHRA has shared a number of concerns and recommendations raised by CHRA members with CMHC and the federal government. However, in order to capture the full scope of short and long-term recommendations, CHRA has prepared a letter to the federal Minister responsible for…
COVID-19: Updates for those in the Community Housing and Homelessness Sector
COVID-19 Response Page UPDATED April 8, 2020 CHRA has been working closely with government officials, its provincial counterpart associations and its members to provide the most relevant and timely information for those in the Community Housing and Homelessness Sector who are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. On this page you…
CANCELLED: CHRA Congress 2020
A few days ago, we informed you that the CHRA Annual Congress in April 2020 could not proceed in light of COVID-19 developments. Since then, we have been working internally and with venues in Saskatoon to determine if Congress could be scheduled to another date later in the year. Given…
CHRA Releases 2020 Pre-Budget Submission
In advance of the 2020 federal Budget, the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association (CHRA) today issued its submission to the federal government outlining its key budgetary recommendations. CHRA has called for 3 policies to be included in Budget 2020: Develop and implement an urban, rural and northern Indigenous housing strategy,…
CHRA Board of Directors Approves New 4 Year Strategic Plan
On November 13, the CHRA Board of Directors approved a new 4-year Strategic Plan (PDF) to guide the organization between 2020 and 2024. The Plan was developed with the input of members, the CHRA Board of Directors, and staff. It contains five Key Result Areas – Advocacy, Policy and Research, Member Services,…
Watch the 2019 National Housing Debate
On October 6, CHRA worked with a coalition of housing organizations to host the first ever National Housing Debate in Ottawa. Adam Vaughan (Liberal), Pierre Poilievre (Conservative), Angella MacEwan (NDP), Geneviève Nadeau (Bloc Quebecois), and Angela Keller-Herzog (Green Party) discussed a range of issues related to housing. The debate was…
Updated Rental Housing Index Launched
An updated version of the Canadian Rental Housing Index (RHI) was unveiled today at a press conference held in Toronto. The RHI is an invaluable online tool that uses census data to provide detailed information on rental housing conditions across Canada. The updated version contains rental housing data broken down…
CHRA Indigenous Caucus Releases Urban, Rural, and Northern Indigenous Housing Report
Download the PDF version In late 2018, the CHRA Indigenous Caucus commissioned a report and survey that looks at the state of urban, rural and northern Indigenous housing in Canada, and provides recommendations on a path forward to improve its state. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and Indigenous Services…
Update on Phase 2 of Federal Community Housing Initiative
CMHC has been working closely with key housing associations over the summer to finalize details for Phase 2 of the Federal Community Housing Initiative (FCHI). This is a new rental assistance program for community housing providers reaching the end of their operating agreements. FCHI will be available from April 1,…
CHRA and Coalition of Housing and Homelessness Organizations Release Open Letter to Leaders of Political Parties
At a press conference held today on Parliament Hill, CHRA and a coalition of community housing and homelessness organizations announced they have sent a joint letter to the leaders of the major political parties outlining several election platform recommendations in advance of the 2019 federal election.
CHRA Releases Response to “National Housing Strategy Act” and Canada Housing Benefit
Today, CHRA publicly released two documents related to the National Housing Strategy. The first is a response to the “National Housing Strategy Act” contained in Bill C-97, and the second includes key principles to help inform the development of the ‘Canada Housing Benefit’ drafted by The Canadian Alliance of Non-Profit Housing Associations (CANPHA).
Budget 2019: New Investments in Private Housing Affordability, But A Lack of Investment in Community Housing
The 2019 federal Budget unveiled today by Finance Minister Bill Morneau contained new measures to assist first time home buyers pay the costs associated with home ownership, and increased support for the supply of affordable rental housing. However, the Budget contained very few new investments to support community housing.
CHRA Op-Ed: How to ensure every Canadian in need is safely housed by 2030
The online political publication, iPolitics, recently ran an op-ed by CHRA Executive Director Jeff Morrison.
The piece examines how the federal government could help to meet a new CMHC corporate objective of ensuring that by 2030, every person living in Canada had access to housing that met their needs. The editorial includes key messages that were contained in our 2019 pre-budget submission. This will also form the basis for our messaging in the lead up to the 2019 federal election.
Membership Renewal: It’s time to renew for 2019
Prior to the holidays, current members should have received membership renewal notices by email. If you have not received it, please contact Melissa Weigel at mweigel@chra-achru.ca.
Take advantage of special Congress rates, invitations to members-only webinars, the chance to run for and vote in Board elections, and so on. Your membership is an investment that pays off throughout the year.
Renew or join today to get the most benefit!
Changes to National Housing Co-Investment Fund unveiled by CMHC
In response to concerns raised by the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association (CHRA) with the National Co-Investment Fund’s application process, CMHC has provided us with two documents that include changes that will ease the burden on housing providers applying to the program.
The first document is a webinar transcript (PDF) from a session held in October 2018 during which changes to some of the original application policies were announced.
The second is a new document issued by CMHC announcing changes to the energy efficiency and accessibility requirements for certain projects.
CHRA receives grant for Indigenous housing research
CHRA’s Indigenous Housing Caucus has received $189,000 in funding as part of a collaborative federal research grant from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and Indigenous Services Canada to identify issues – such as expiry of operating agreements, waitlists, and housing management – most prevalently affecting urban, rural, and northern Indigenous housing service providers.
Acknowledging that urban, rural and northern Indigenous housing may not be effectively addressed by current federal policies or that potential gaps exist, results from this project will help inform a call for increased and improved services and supports.