Sixteen projects showcase Community Land Trusts (CLTs) and Land Assembly solutions

Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. That is why the Government of Canada is supporting and investing in innovative solutions aimed at improving the performance, viability and effectiveness of affordable housing.

Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion and Minister Responsible for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), announced that close to $3.3 million in funding will be provided to 16 successful submissions under the National Housing Strategy (NHS) Demonstrations Initiative.

The NHS Demonstrations Initiative highlights solutions that support the National Housing Strategy priority areas and population groups. These solutions aim to spur awareness, knowledge and scaling of promising practices, strategies, programs, policies and technologies.

The 2021 open call competition targeted one specific area of high potential impact – Community Land Trusts (CLTs) and Land Assembly solutions that may ensure greater availability and access to land for affordable housing. The 16 successful submissions will each receive funding from $100,000 to $250,000.

The selected projects provide a diverse portfolio of CLT/Land assembly solutions addressing the specific needs of NHS population groups such as Indigenous population groups, women and children fleeing domestic violence, people labeled with a disability or mental illness, people experiencing homelessness, and Northerners.

The solutions from this call will support a culture of innovation by fostering partnerships, replication and scaling, as well as creating and disseminating real-world data for evidence-based decision-making.

Find out more about the NHS Demonstrations Initiative.

Quote:

“Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. Increasing the supply of land for affordable housing requires innovative and disruptive thinking. The Demonstrations Initiative showcases the best new ideas ensuring that these can be repeated and scaled from coast to coast to coast. This is the National Housing Strategy at work for Canadians.”

Quick facts:

• In addition to the 16 solutions being funded through the 2021 Demonstrations Initiative, the federal government recognizes that supporting CLTs to grow and thrive will involve multiple types of interventions, including support with acquisition, which goes beyond the scope of the Initiative.
• This separate line of work is being undertaken by CMHC as it explores how CLT’s may be supported in acquiring already operational and affordable rental buildings.
• Funding for demonstrations is available to those who wish to address housing related issues identified under the NHS priority areas.
• The NHS Demonstrations Initiative competitive open-call process occurs annually and will focus on different topics each year. The next open-call process will be held in 2022.
• Experts interested in acting as reviewers are invited to manifest their interest by writing to Innovation-Research@cmhc-schl.gc.ca.
• The NHS includes $541 million over 10 years to support research on housing needs and conditions, the housing finance system, market stability and housing sector innovation.
• Canada's National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year, $72+ billion plan that will give more Canadians a place to call home.

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, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

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

Information on this release:

Mikaela Harrison
Office of the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion
mikaela.harrison@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

Media Relations
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)
media@cmhc-schl.gc.ca

Backgrounder: Successful submissions, 2021 NHS Demonstrations Initiative

Find further details on the projects.