Governments of Canada and Alberta announce housing benefit

Calgary, Alberta, July 6, 2021

Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. That’s why the Governments of Canada and Alberta will provide rent support to low-income Albertans in need through the Canada – Alberta Housing Benefit.

The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), alongside Josephine Pon, Alberta’s Minister of Seniors and Housing, announced details of an approximately $444 million investment through the Canada – Alberta Housing Benefit (CA – AB HB) to fund rent support for nearly 35,500 households in Alberta. This joint funding is based on investments ranging from 2019 to 2028.

Alberta’s government will integrate this funding into its Rent Supplement Program, helping households with low income afford their rent over the lifetime of the agreement. The program features flexibility in housing choice, and includes a long-term benefit for those most in need and a new temporary benefit for working Albertans and those between jobs.

The Canada – Alberta Housing Benefit’s joint funding will support Alberta’s Rent Supplement program through the Rent Assistance Benefit and Temporary Rent Assistance Benefit to help around 35,500 households with low income afford their rent over the lifetime of the agreement. The program features flexibility in housing choice, and includes a long-term benefit for those most in need and a new temporary benefit for working Albertans and those between jobs.

The Temporary Rent Assistance Benefit, which opened on May 1, provides a modest subsidy to help eligible tenants in Alberta’s seven major centres afford their rent, while they stabilize or improve their situation. The Rent Assistance Benefit, for those with the lowest income, reopened on April 1 following the program review. Details on both benefits are available online.

Quotes:

“Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. Our Government recognizes the long-standing need for predictable funding for housing in Alberta. That’s why today, we are taking another significant step toward our goal of building strong communities where Albertans continue to prosper and thrive, now and for generations to come. This is the National Housing Strategy at work.”
— The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)

“When we set out to redesign Alberta’s Rent Supplement Program, we had the current and future needs of Albertans in mind. I am pleased the program changes have put us in a position to maximize federal funding and provide rent support to even more Albertans, especially during this difficult time.”
— Josephine Pon, Minister of Seniors and Housing

“The Lethbridge Housing Authority is thankful for the investment of $444 million into Alberta’s Rent Supplement Program. We look forward to assisting households in the Lethbridge area with a flexible long-term housing benefit as well as providing the Temporary Rental Assistance Benefit to members of our community who are recently unemployed.”
— Robin James, Chief Administrative Officer, Lethbridge Housing Authority

Quick facts:

The Canada – Alberta Housing Benefit will invest $444 million in targeted support to meet the significant housing needs of around 35,500 Albertans with low income between 2019 – 20 and 2027 – 28.
Details on the eligibility criteria and benefit amounts for Alberta’s Rent Supplement Program can be found at alberta.ca/affordable-housing-programs.aspx.
The Canada – Alberta Housing Benefit is part of the 10-year bilateral agreement between the governments of Canada and Alberta, under the National Housing Strategy (NHS). The NHS invests a total of $1.1 billion, cost-shared by the federal government and the Government of Alberta, to protect, renew and expand social and community housing, support Alberta’s priorities related to housing repair, construction and affordability, and provide a portable rent subsidy directly to households.
Canada's National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year $72-plus billion plan that will give more Canadians a place to call home.
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 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.

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. CMHC’s aim if that by 2030, everyone in Canada has a home they can afford, and that meets their needs. 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.

The Alberta ministry of Seniors and Housing fosters the development of affordable housing and supports access to housing options for Albertans most in need. The ministry works with seniors, their families and caregivers, Albertans who require housing supports and communities and other government partners. A more detailed description of the ministry and its programs and initiatives can be found at alberta.ca/seniors-and-housing.

Learn more about Alberta’s affordable housing programs.