(December 16, 2024) – Today, the federal government presented the Fall Economic Statement.
We know the ongoing and deepening housing crisis is a key concern across the country. A report released in November, 2023 by the Federal Housing Advocate found that we need more than 4.4 million new affordable homes, 3 million of which need to be affordable for low and very low income households.
This housing gap is also disproportionately felt by Indigenous peoples, particularly those living in urban, rural and northern (URN) communities. According to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, approximately 18% (almost one in five) Indigenous households in URN areas are in housing need - dramatically higher than the general population. However, though the need is clear, today’s announcement does little to address these problems and represents a missed opportunity to do more on housing.
To provide housing for those who need it most, the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association (CHRA) has been calling for the Government of Canada to do more to support the community housing sector. As a sector we are committed to more than doubling the amount of community housing in Canada and we believe the federal government should play a significant role in helping us get there. CHRA believes that the federal government needs to provide additional money to do a few key things that will support the growth of our sector. These include providing more stable funding and financing to build new community housing, establishing a Canada Community Housing Growth Fund to prepare our sector for this growth, and closing the historical housing gap faced by Indigenous peoples. If you would like to learn more about our specific recommendations please read our pre-budget consultation submission or our letter to Minister Fraser.
Today’s announcement contains some small wins for the community housing sector but unfortunately lacks the overall ambition we need to truly address the housing and affordability crisis.
CHRA is pleased that the federal government is providing $50 million of much needed pre-development funding that will help get more projects shovel ready. Pre-development funding was a key component of CHRA’s Canada Community Housing Growth Fund proposal, and this funding will ensure that there is a stronger pipeline of housing projects, which will mean more homes for people who need them. However, we are disappointed that this money is a simple re-allocation of existing funding from the Affordable Housing Fund, a program that we believe needs additional funding and financing of its own.
CHRA is also pleased to see that the federal government is extending the Federal Community Housing Initiative (FCHI) by providing $362.7 million over five years, starting in 2028-29. However, the five-year commitment will not provide the long-term predictability and sustainability that co-op and community housing providers rely on to make housing more affordable.
“The lack of significant action on housing today by the federal government is going to directly impact people’s lives.” said Margaret Pfoh, President of the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association and Chief Executive Officer of the Aboriginal Housing Management Association, “Today represents another delay in the progress we need, particularly for Indigenous people who are disproportionately impacted by the housing crisis.”
“What we are seeing today is the federal government taking their foot off the gas on housing, right when we need them to accelerate. In order to tackle the housing crisis, we need to more than double the supply of community housing. We need to provide real solutions to people across the country who are struggling to keep a roof over their head.” said Ray Sullivan, Executive Director of CHRA.
For more information, contact:
Kenneth Milner
Director, Policy & Government Relations
kenneth@chra-achru.ca
C: 613-899-7050