National Housing Day 2021

Strength through housing partnerships

November 22 is National Housing Day, and we are pleased to celebrate it throughout National Housing Week, from November 22 to 26. This is an occasion to come together with partners, stakeholders and Canadians across the country to recognize and showcase their tremendous work.

National Housing Week is a time to reflect on the challenges that far too many Canadians continue to face in accessing safe and affordable housing. These challenges are complex and solving them calls for a whole-of-society approach. In other words, everyone has a role to play.

That’s why we would like to highlight the on-going partnerships in 3 areas that make Canada’s housing more affordable, inclusive, sustainable and climate compatible.

Building a stable housing system that benefits everyone 

We cannot meet our 2030 aspiration without the support of all our partners — existing, new, potential and future.

We thank our countless, longstanding partners for their continued expertise and tireless work to increase housing supply and improve housing outcomes including:

• the non-profit, community and private sectors
• the financial sector
• provincial, territorial and municipal governments 
• Indigenous governments and organizations 
• philanthropists, entrepreneurs and change-makers
• academics and researchers

The financial sector recently came forward to partner with us in a new way to help us meet our aspiration. Three major Canadian financial institutions — the Bank of Montreal, Scotiabank and Vancity Community Investment Bank — have committed billions of dollars in funding to finance affordable housing projects over the next decade.

Building more inclusive housing and communities   

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted — and worsened — inequities in housing, reaffirming that Canada’s recovery needs to be rooted in a human rights-based approach to housing. The pandemic has disproportionately affected vulnerable populations living in precarious housing. These include racialized Canadians, seniors, and women and children fleeing domestic violence.

About 1.7 million households in Canada are in housing need. Month after month they may be forced to choose between paying the rent and buying food or clothing for their children. Too many Canadians — 25,000 to 35,000 people every night — are estimated to be experiencing homelessness. 

To make sure that the most vulnerable get the support that they need, we are launching a variety of new funding programs that will build and repair shelters and transitional housing. These shelters and transitional housing projects will provide a safe and supportive space for Indigenous women and children, 2SLGBTQQIA+ people escaping gender-based violence.

Inclusive housing and communities benefit everyone in Canada. They create a strong economy and improve affordability. They give everyone — regardless of ability, age or income — a chance to participate more fully in their community.

Building the future with climate-resilient housing   

Climate change poses significant risks to Canada’s housing stock, our business and financial stability. The effects of extreme weather events have affected communities across the country in recent years:

• Floods and wildfires have destroyed homes and entire communities.
• Heatwaves have increasingly touched the most vulnerable populations such as seniors and people living in overcrowded housing.  

The housing sector currently emits 6% of greenhouse gases in Canada and this figure nearly triples to 17.7% when personal transportation is included. The ways we design, build and operate housing and communities can play a major role in moving Canada to a low-carbon economy. 

Our first-ever Chief Climate Officer has a mandate to refine and develop our climate change strategy. It focuses our resources towards addressing climate change and housing with the goal of moving the needle towards carbon neutrality and climate-resiliency in the housing sector.

Join the conversation

Download the toolkit and share why housing matters. And, help raise awareness of the importance of safe, affordable and inclusive housing for everyone in Canada