CMHC Milestones
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| 1946 | Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation is established to house returning war veterans and to lead the nation's housing programs |
| 1946 | CMHC builds the Benny Farm in Montréal - one of the first subsidized housing developments in Canada |
| 1947 | Wartime Housing Limited transfers 30,000 houses ("wartimes") to CMHC to provide affordable housing for returning veterans |
| 1947 | CMHC begins monthly tracking of construction starts and completions |
| 1948 | CMHC publication, 67 Homes for Canadians, is among the most influential house plan books of the post-war years - selling over 29,000 copies by the end of the year, and shaping house design for the next two decades |
| 1948 | CMHC transforms an abandoned munitions factory complex in Ajax into Canada's first fully planned, self-sustaining industrial community |
| 1950 | Newfoundland and CMHC sign the first federal/provincial social housing project to offer rents geared to income |
| 1952 | CMHC leaves temporary wartime offices for new national headquarters in Ottawa |
| 1954 | National Housing Act amendments introduce Mortgage Loan Insurance to make home ownership accessible to more Canadians and make CMHC responsible for reviewing loan applications |
| 1957 | The Mark series of homes is the agency's first demonstration project - soundly built, affordable homes for Canadians |
| 1960 | In response to rapid urban growth, the Municipal Infrastructure Program offers loans to cities for sewage treatment and urban renewal projects |
| 1966 | CMHC builds the first cooperative housing project in Canada in Willow Park, Winnipeg |
| 1967 | Wood frame construction is exported abroad with CMHC's first international project to construct 137 homes in Harlow, England |
| 1967 | CMHC funds the design and development costs of Habitat at Expo 67, which demonstrates higher density housing |
| 1969 | The Strathcona Rehabilitation Project engages the public in community planning and forms the model for the RRAP program |
| 1971 | The Assisted Home Ownership Program offers reduced interest loans to help first-time buyers and help stimulate the housing market |
| 1971 | CMHC introduces Winter Warmth, its first assistance program directed to Aboriginal people, to help make urgent repairs to housing in rural and remote areas |
| 1973 | CMHC transforms reclaimed industrial land on Granville Island into a thriving centre for culture, recreation and tourism |
| 1973 | Neighbourhood Improvement Program provides funding to help municipalities restore the urban core |
| 1974 | Lebreton Flats project demonstrates high-density, innovative urban living concepts |
| 1974 | CMHC introduces the Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program (RRAP) to help homeowners and landlords restore substandard and deteriorated buildings |
| 1974 | The Rural and Native Housing Program funds the construction or acquisition of housing units for low-income people in rural areas |
| 1975 | Mill Woods demonstration project in Edmonton tests site planning criteria for small lots and proves the feasibility of medium density housing |
| 1977 -Â 81 | CMHC administers the Canadian Home Insulation Program (CHIP) to encourage energy-saving retrofits |
| 1978 | The Non-profit Housing Program is delivered for the first time on-reserve |
| 1978 | The Vieux Port project in Montréal demonstrates the successful combination of commercial and residential urban development |
| 1979 | Canadian Housing Information Centre (CHIC), Canada's largest housing library, becomes a focal point for transferring knowledge to the building industry, government and consumers |
| 1979 | CMHC changes its name to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation |
| 1979 | Milton Park area of Montreal is converted into one of Canada's most successful non-profit low-income projects |
| 1983 | CMHC is awarded the United Nations 1982 Peace Medal for promoting a better understanding among people of the ECE (Economic Commission for Europe) countries as host of a study tour on housing, building and planning |
| 1986 | Mortgage Backed Securities are introduced to ensure the long-term supply of low-cost mortgage funds in the marketplace |
| 1987 | The Market Analysis Centre (MAC) begins tracking local, provincial, regional and national housing markets |
| 1988 | National Housing Awards created to share innovations and best practices for housing in Canada |
| 1991 | The Partnership Centre is created to foster public/private cooperation on non-profit and affordable housing projects |
| 1992 | The Healthy Housing concept, which promotes innovation in occupant health, energy efficiency and economic viability, is introduced and demonstrated in Toronto |
| 1992 | The Barrier-free housing concept is showcased across Canada and forms the basis for FlexHousing â„¢ |
| 1995 | CMHC's website is launched, providing Canadians and the industry with easy access to reliable, objective housing information |
| 1996 | Introduction of emili, an on-line automated mortgage insurance underwriting system, transforms approval times from days to seconds |
| 1998 | CMHC's Client Service Centre and 1-800 Call Centre open to provide housing information to consumers across Canada |
| 1999 | The Canadian Housing Export Centre (now known as CMHC International) is launched to share Canada's housing expertise with the world |
| 1999 | To mark Heritage Day, CMHC collaborates on a series of postage stamps to celebrate Canada's housing history |
| 2000 | CMHC keeps a former coal mining community in Tumbler Ridge, BC. alive through economic diversification |
| 2001 | Canada Mortgage Bonds help ensure supply of low-cost funding for residential mortgages |
| 2002 | Conference Board of Canada presents its Governance Award in the Public Sector to CMHC for innovation and leadership |
| 2003 | Canadian Housing Observer is launched to provide insight and information on the state of Canada's housing industry |
| 2003 | The Seabird Island Project is the first of its kind to demonstrate an affordable and sustainable planned community that honours Aboriginal cultural traditions |
| 2003 | Federal-Provincial affordable housing program begins, with $1 billion in federal expenditure to improve affordable housing supply by an estimated 23,500 units. |
| 2005 | CMHC expands its renovation programs to provide for the creation of secondary and garden suites for low-income seniors and adults with disabilities. |
| 2005 | A 10 percent "green refund" is offered on Mortgage Loan Insurance premiums for homeowners who buy or build an energy-efficient home or make energy-saving renovations |
| 2005 | CMHC launches the first phase of Canadian Net Zero Energy Healthy Housing initiative to promote efficient use of energy for heating and electricity |
| 2005 | CMHC eliminates its mortgage insurance premiums on rental projects under the Affordable Housing Initiative and other projects with rents that are low enough to meet the needs of households who qualify for social housing. An additional 20 percent premium reduction is announced for affordable rental housing projects that meet the criteria for CMHC's partnership flexibilities. |
| 2005 | CMHC introduces the On-Reserve Homeownership Loan Insurance Pilot product without a Ministerial Loan Guarantee designed to increase market housing on-reserve, and signs the first trust agreement with British Columbia's Nak'azdli Band Council. |
| 2006 | CMHC launches the Energy Retrofit Program to help approximately 130,000 low-income Canadian households, including those on-reserve and in the North, to address the high costs of energy and help achieve better long-term energy efficiency. |
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