Other funding and financing opportunities

Seed Funding
The Seed Funding program supports affordable housing through interest-free loans and/or non-repayable contributions. There are two funding streams: one for new construction/conversions, and one to preserve existing community housing projects. To learn more about preserving your housing project, please visit Preservation Funding for Community Housing.

Preservation Funding for Community Housing
Preservation Funding helps existing community housing providers remain viable and prepare for future funding opportunities by providing financial assistance to support the cost of completing preservation activities.

Investments in Affordable Housing
Through CMHC, the Government of Canada works with its provincial and territorial partners to provide and improve access to affordable housing. The federal government has committed to an investment of more than $1.9 billion through the IAH over 8 years. Provinces and territories are cost-matching the federal investment.

Prepayment

The federal government is providing $150 million to allow non-profit and co-op housing providers to prepay their mortgages held with CMHC without penalty. This eliminates the high cost of prepayment. Waiving these penalties allows housing providers to access private market loans at current interest rates. This lowers mortgage expenses and keeps rents affordable.

Shared Equity Mortgage Providers Fund
The Shared Equity Mortgage Providers Fund is a $100-million lending fund intended to support existing shared equity mortgage providers, encourage additional housing supply and attract new providers of shared equity mortgages. The program offers repayable loans from two possible funding streams. Stream one offers funding for eligible preconstruction costs to commence new housing projects in which shared equity mortgages will be provided to first-time homebuyers. Stream two offers funding for shared equity mortgages that will be provided by the proponent directly to first-time homebuyers.

As Canada's only provider of mortgage loan insurance for multi-unit residential properties, CMHC provides access to preferred interest rates lowering borrowing costs for the construction, purchase and refinance of multi-unit residential properties and facilitates renewals throughout the life of the mortgage. Additional incentives are available to support affordable rental housing projects.

Affordable rental housing mortgage loan insurance products

• Affordable Housing

  Offers flexibilities to encourage the construction, preservation and improvement of affordable rental properties, helping Canadians meet their rental housing needs. The flexibilities include higher loan-to-value ratios, lower debt coverage ratios, and reduced premiums.

 Market rental housing mortgage loan insurance products

• Standard Rental Housing

  Provides greater financing choices to borrowers offering standard rental housing accommodations in multi-unit residential buildings.

• Retirement Housing

  Provides greater financing options to borrowers offering retirement housing for seniors.

• Supportive Housing

  Provides financing options to borrowers providing supportive housing to help tenants stabilize their lives, enhance their independent living skills, and reconnect with their communities.

• Student Housing

  Provides financing options to borrowers offering purpose-built student housing both on- and off-campus.

• Single Room Occupancy

  Provides greater financing choices to borrowers providing single private room accommodations within a multiple tenant building.