Governments of Canada and Manitoba Sign 10-Year Housing Agreement

Families, Indigenous communities and vulnerable Canadians in need of an affordable place to call home can count on long-term funding for community housing in Manitoba thanks to an agreement signed today by the federal and provincial governments.

Today in Winnipeg, Adam Vaughan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development (Housing and Urban Affairs), on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Canada’s Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), along with the Honourable Heather Stefanson, Minister of Manitoba Families, announced they have reached a bilateral agreement under the National Housing Strategy (NHS). This agreement, which will be cost-shared by the governments of Canada and Manitoba, demonstrates a joint commitment to prioritize affordable housing.

The 10-year agreement will invest almost $450.8 million to protect, renew and expand social and community housing, and support Manitoba’s priorities related to housing repair, construction, and affordability. The governments of Canada and Manitoba will also work together on the design and implementation of a new Canada Housing Benefit for the province, to provide affordability support directly to families and individuals in housing need. The new agreement marks the beginning of a partnership that will be supported by long-term and predictable funding starting immediately.

This is a progressive housing agreement that commits the governments of Canada and Manitoba to new and higher standards of transparency, public engagement, and housing quality, including improved energy efficiency and accessibility. The agreement also acknowledges the importance of prioritizing people most in need, incorporating a human rights-based approach to housing, and applying a gender lens to all investments.

Quotes:

“The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that every Canadian has a safe and affordable place to call home. Long-term, predictable funding for housing has been needed for more than a decade. Today, with the Manitoba Government, we have taken a significant step toward our goal of building strong communities where Canadian families can prosper and thrive, now and for the future. Our Government will continue working in partnership with Manitoba and other provinces and territories towards a 15% expansion in new affordable housing units and renewing 20% of existing community housing units across the country.”

“Accessible, affordable and quality housing options are a priority for our government because they are a priority for Manitobans. By signing this bilateral, we are committing to a decade of strategic investments that will make a difference in the lives of children, families, seniors, vulnerable people and many others. Manitoba is continuing on its path to become Canada’s most improved province by working in partnership with the federal government and many other critical agencies and organizations who share our dedication to housing issues.”

Quick facts:

• The almost $450.8 million investment includes almost $225.4 million from the Government of Canada and almost $225.4 million from the Government of Manitoba.
• These investments are in addition to almost $269.2 million previously planned federal housing investments in Manitoba through the Social Housing Agreement (SHA) over the next 10 years. In addition to new construction, combined investments under the NHS bilateral agreement and the SHA will target the preservation of at least 23,417 existing community housing units in Manitoba.
• The Government of Canada is currently rolling out its National Housing Strategy (NHS), an ambitious 10-year, $55 billion plan that will create 125,000 new housing units, repair and renew more than 300,000 housing units and reduce chronic homelessness by 50 percent, with the target of removing 530,000 families from housing need.
• The NHS is built on strong partnerships between the federal, provincial and territorial governments, and continuous engagement with others, including municipalities, Indigenous governments and organizations, and the social and private housing sectors. This includes consultations with Canadians from all walks of life, and people with lived experience of housing need.
• All NHS investments delivered by the federal, provincial and territorial governments will respect the key principles of the NHS that support partnerships, people and communities.
• The Government of Manitoba will develop and publish three-year action plans, beginning in 2019-2020, setting targets and outlining how it will use federal and cost-matched funding to achieve the desired outcomes.
• The Manitoba government strives to deliver cost-effective housing programs that are more responsive to local housing needs, promote the long-term sustainability of housing, foster greater alignment of services and supports and realize more efficient service delivery, while serving vulnerable Manitobans and leading others to greater housing independence.
• Since November 2015, the federal government has invested almost $340 million in housing in Manitoba.

Associated links:

As Canada's authority on housing, CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need, and offers unbiased housing research and advice to all levels of Canadian government, consumers and the housing industry. For more information, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

To find out more about the National Housing Strategy, visit www.placetocallhome.ca.

Media contacts:

Valérie Glazer
Press Secretary
Office of Minister Duclos
819-654-5546
Valerie.Glazer@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

Alexandre Tremblay
CMHC
613-748-2559
aatrembl@cmhc-schl.gc.ca

Braeden Jones
Press Secretary
Office of Minister Stefanson
204-945-7962
Braeden.Jones@leg.gov.mb.ca

Lenore Kowalchuk
Communications Services Manitoba
204-945-7123
Lenore.Kowalchuk@gov.mb.ca