Designed to help community housing projects reaching the end of their operating agreements from past social and affordable housing programs.
Done!
IMPORTANT
Housing providers who are currently enrolled in the program and would like to increase the number of households receiving rental assistance may be eligible for additional funding.
Housing providers who were previously eligible, but not currently enrolled and now wish to receive assistance may also be eligible to do so.
Please refer to the Eligibility and Enrolment section for more information.
For more details, contact us at fchi2-iflc2@cmhc-schl.gc.ca.
The Federal Community Housing Initiative is a $618.2 million fund designed to support community housing projects reaching the end of their operating agreements from past social and affordable housing programs.
Phase 1 provided $38 million in federal funding over a 2-year period (from 2018-2020).
Phase 2 provides $580.2 million in funding for housing providers whose agreements have expired or will expire by March 31, 2028. It has 2 streams of funding:
There are 2 general rules to be eligible to receive funding through the Initiative:
Eligible housing providers will receive an invitation from CMHC at least 6 months before the end of their federal operating agreement.
Eligible housing providers not currently enrolled in the program may request to join the Federal Community Housing Initiative – Phase 2 outside of their initial eligibility date. Interested housing providers should contact the Federal Community Housing Initiative – Phase 2 team (fchi2-iflc2@cmhc-schl.gc.ca) to request an enrolment package.
In both situations, a completed application must be submitted to CMHC for a request to be considered.
Once a housing provider receives an enrolment package, they will need to confirm that there is at least 1 household in need of rental assistance. If there is a need and the housing provider would like to request assistance, a completed application must be submitted to CMHC. You should receive a response to your completed application within 60 days of it being received by CMHC.
IMPORTANT
Applying does not guarantee funding. It starts the process during which CMHC will assess your request.
Funding provided should be managed as a budget envelope and should be divided amongst the low-income households in need.
Eligible households will need to complete the Request for Rental Assistance - Declaration form. The housing provider will then complete the Rental Assistance Calculation Worksheet to determine how much rental assistance will be allocated to each household.
The Request for Rental Assistance - Declaration form and the Rental Assistance Calculation Worksheet need to be completed upon enrolment and updated throughout the year or every 12 months at a minimum.
Need a Revision to Your Agreement?
As situations change, you may need to request changes to the number of households that require rental assistance or the amount of rental assistance being provided.
The decision to request a change to the amount of assistance received or the number of households included in the agreement rests with the housing provider.
IMPORTANT
If your agreement has changed, you will need to recalculate the amount of rental assistance to be applied to households' occupancy charge.
| Revise the Amount of Rental Assistance Received | Revise the Number of Households Included in the Agreement |
|---|---|
|
When to request an increase When to request a decrease |
When to request an increase When to request a decrease |
Questions on Annual Reporting?
Note: For clients with agreements administered by the Agency for Co-operative Housing, please contact the Agency for more information at info@agency.coop.
To ensure that funding disbursed to housing providers is used according to the program guidelines, housing providers must submit the following documents annually:
Resources, including guides and templates, have been developed to help housing providers prepare their annual reporting documents. These resources are updated annually – make sure to use the latest versions available.
Annual Report on the use of rental assistance (all housing providers, except those in Quebec) (XSL)
Annual Report on the use of rental assistance (only housing providers in Quebec) (XSL)
Guide for Preparing the Financial Statements (PDF)
Financial Statements Template (XSL)
Key activities under the FCHI-2 program (PDF)
Federal Community Housing Initiative – Phase 2 Reference Guide (PDF)
Request for Rental Assistance - Declaration (PDF)
Rental Assistance Calculation Worksheet (Excel)
Learn more about how the program works through short, easy-to-follow videos.
Click on the drop-down menu to view all available videos.
Full program details and requirements are found in the agreement and the FCHI-2 Reference Guide.
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00:00:00:00
[Audio silence.]
[Visual: The National Housing Strategy logo, the Canada wordmark and the CMHC logo appear in a row.]
[Speaker: Unidentified woman.]
Welcome to our second module.
00:04:00:00
[Visual: Slide titled "Federal Community Housing Initiative - Module 2: Program Enrolment" with photos of workers in a building under construction and two people looking at blueprints. The National Housing Strategy logo, the Canada wordmark and the CMHC logo appear on the footer.]
This module will provide an overview of how to enroll in the program.
00:08:00:00
[Visual: Slide titled "How to Enrol in the Program?" Text reads, "A complete enrolment package must be submitted to CMHC for assessment. Eligible housing providers are sent an enrolment package at least 6 months before their program eligibility date. Eligible housing providers who were invited but didn't enrol in the FCHI-2 program by their eligibility date can request an application." Small text on the header reads, "The National Housing Strategy 2."]
How to enroll in the program. CMHC will identify eligible housing providers and send them an enrollment package at least six months before their program eligibility date. The program eligibility date is the end date of their eligible existing operating agreement. Eligible housing providers who were invited but didn't enroll in the FCHI-2 program by their eligibility date can still apply. However, they must contact the FCHI-2 team to request the enrollment package. In both cases, an enrollment package must be completed and submitted to CMHC for assessment. A completed application does not guarantee funding. It simply initiates the process by which CMHC will evaluate the application.
00:54:00:00
[Visual: Slide titled "What Should You do Before Submitting an Application?" Three bullet points read: "Identify all low-income households (households spending 30% or more of its gross monthly income on housing). Ensure the households included have legally binding lease agreements. Ensure that the households included in your application are not currently receiving financial support for their rent from any other source or that the financial support they are receiving will end before joining this program."]
What should you do before submitting an application? Household eligibility is defined by three main criteria: household composition, household income, and the occupancy charge, also known as the rent on the lease agreement. To receive rental assistance, a household must show that it's spending 30% or more of its gross monthly income on housing. Before submitting your FCHI-2 application, you should: Identify all low-income households, which are the households spending 30% or more of their gross monthly income on housing. Ensure the households included have a legally binding lease agreement with a minimum duration of one year or as otherwise agreed to by CMHC. Ensure that the households included in your application are not currently receiving financial support for their rent from any other source, or that the financial support that they are receiving will end before joining this program. If these households receive any funding, municipal, provincial, federal, or other, including any amount, support, or rental assistance similar to the type of assistance provided under the FCHI-2 program, they are not eligible to receive rental assistance under this program. It is the responsibility of the housing provider as well as the household to choose the most beneficial rental assistance option available to them. There are various programs and initiatives whose purpose is to support low-income households, and receiving rental assistance through these programs or initiatives may affect your eligibility for others with similar goals.
02:32:00:00
[Visual: Slide titled "What Fields do I Need to Fill in to Complete the Enrolment Form and Enrolment Annex?" with two sections of text. The first section, titled "Enrolment Form," has two bullet points that read: "Outlines the documents that need to be submitted. The form needs to be signed by two members of the Board of Directors." The second section, titled "Enrolment Annex," has two bullet points that read: "Please complete the information at the top of the form, including contact information for two representatives. Please answer all questions."]
What fields do I need to fill in to complete the enrollment form and enrollment annex? As a housing provider, you will then need to fill out the following forms. If you wish to enroll in the program, the enrollment form should be used to make sure that you have included all the necessary documents to enroll. Please complete the form and ensure that it is signed by two members of the Board of Directors. If you choose not to enroll, you can use this form to indicate why you don't want to enroll. However, please note that if we do not receive an application, it is assumed that you do not want to enroll in the program. For the Enrollment Annex, please fill out the information at the top of the application, including the legal name of the housing provider, as well as the names, titles, telephone numbers, and email addresses of the two representatives. Please answer all the questions on this form.
03:27:00:00
[Visual: Slide titled "What Fields do I Need to Fill in to Complete the Rental Assistance Request Table (Annex)?" Three bullet points read: "Enter your CMHC reference number on the top left corner and your organization's legal name on the right corner. In the table, include the information for all households that you want to include in your application. Be sure to fill out the relevant fields, based on the situation of each household."]
What fields do I need to fill in to complete the rental assistance request table? First, in the top left corner of the annex, enter your CMHC reference number, which is also the number of your previous or current operating agreement. Enter your organization's legal name in the right corner. In this table, enter all low-income households included in your rental assistance application. Exclude any households that benefit from similar rental assistance program and that wish to remain enrolled in that program. Be sure to fill out all the relevant fields based on the unique situation of each household included in the application.
04:09:00:00
[Visual: Slide titled "Do You Have Any Tips for Filling Out the Annex?" Six bullet points read: "Refer to the FCHI-2 Reference Guide for a list of included and excluded income. Income from a social assistance program: If a shelter component isn't included, the total should be included in column E. If a shelter component is included, the amount should be included in column F. The full occupancy charge should be included in column J. Remember to check off the utilities/services."]
Do you have any tips for filling out the annex? To help you fill out the income column, please refer to the FCHI-2 reference guide on our website for the list of included and excluded sources of income for the purpose of calculating rental assistance. For households that receive income from a social assistance program that does not include a shelter component, the gross monthly benefit is considered income and must be indicated in column E titled Total Benefit Gross Monthly Amount. However, for households with a shelter component, the maximum amount they can receive under the Social Assistance Program must be indicated in column F, titled Maximum Shelter Component. Housing providers should validate this information. Housing co-operatives must enter the full occupancy charges, rent on the lease, in column J, not including any membership discount, if applicable. In column K, indicate the member discount, if applicable. Remember to check off the services/utilities included in the occupancy charges in columns M, N, and O. They may vary depending on the dwelling type.
05:24:00:00
[Visual: Slide titled "Rental Assistance Request Table." A partial Excel table titled "Federal Community Housing Initiative - Phase 2 (FCHI-2) - Rental Assistance Request Table (Annex)." Text below the table reads: "For more information, please refer to the Explanatory Guide for the Rental Assistance Request Table."]
The following slide provides a view of the rental assistance request table in Excel, also referred to as the annex. Near the top of the form, there are two fields to be completed: the CMHC reference number and the legal name of the housing provider. Below is the table. Each column field's name specifies the information required for each household, such as the dwelling type and unit size, monthly amount of social assistance income, employment and other income, the occupancy charge or rent, primary heating source, and the utilities included in rent. Each line of the table represents a household. In this example, there are four households that the housing provider wants to request rental assistance for. We will review the first household indicated on the table. The household lives in a low-rise apartment building in a two-bedroom unit. The household consists of three people, a couple with one child. One adult and one child receive social assistance under the Ontario Works Program, while the other adult receives social assistance under the Ontario Disability Support Program. They receive a total of $1,500 in total benefits with a maximum shelter component of $1,224. Because this couple does not have other employment income, the amount entered here is $0. The amount of monthly rent for this household is $1,800 and there is no member discount. This household primary heating source is electricity, and included in their rent is electricity, heat, and hot water. Please refer to the explanatory guide included in your enrollment package for guidance when completing the rental assistance request table.
07:16:00:00
[Visual: Slide titled "What Do I need to Know When Filling Out the Rent Supplement Form and Civic Address Registry?" with two sections of text. The first section, titled "Rent Supplement Form," has two bullet points that read: "This form is only to be completed if you have units that receive a rent supplement. In the table, indicate the expiry date of each rent supplement agreement, including the number of units and the source of funding." The second section, titled "Civic Address Registry," has two bullet points that read: "Fill out the three fields at the top, including the number of buildings in your project. Enter the civic address of each building belonging to your organization."]
What do I need to know when filling out the Rent Supplement Form and Civic Address Registry? Please only complete the Rent Supplement Form if you have units that receive a rent supplement. Enter your organization's legal name at the top of the form. In the table, indicate the expiry date of the rent supplement agreement, the number of units that receive the rent supplement assistance, and the source of funding, such as the province or municipality. For the Civic Address Registry, fill out the three fields at the top of the form with the legal name of your organization, the number of buildings, and the total number of units. In the table, enter the civic address of each building belonging to your organization. The number of lines completed must correspond to the number of buildings indicated above. You may add pages if there aren't enough lines.
00:08:08:00:00
[Visual: Slide titled "Will I Need to Submit Other Documents?" Text reads: "In some circumstances, other documents are required, including: if you want to change your bank account, or if you haven't had a federal social housing agreement in the last 12 months. Once these forms have been filled out, please send them to fchi2-iflc2@cmhc-schl.gc.ca."]
Will I need to submit other documents? In some circumstances, other documents are required. If you're planning to change your bank account, you will need to submit the Vendor Information Form. This will allow CMHC to obtain your new banking information and proceed with the monthly rental assistance payment. If you did not have federal social housing agreement in effect within the last 12 months, additional documents will be required to confirm that the housing provider is active and in compliance with legal obligations. This could include financial statements for the last fiscal year, proof of legal status, list of board members, and a rent roll. Once these forms have been filled out, please send them by email to fchi2-iflc2@cmhc-schl.gc.ca by the deadline indicated in your invitation.
09:07:00:00
[Visual: Slide titled "How Long Will it Take for Me to Receive a Reply to My Application?" Text reads: "You should receive a reply from the FCHI-2 team within 60 days of receipt. For more information on the conditions and requirements of each step, please refer to the FCHI-2 Reference Guide and other available modules."]
How long will it take for me to receive a reply to my application? You should receive a reply from the FCHI-2 team within 60 days of receipt of your application. If your application is approved and you don't have a current FCHI-2 agreement, CMHC will send you an agreement to sign. If your application is approved and you have a current FCHI-2 agreement, CMHC will send you a revised Schedule B. For more information on the conditions and requirements of each step, please refer to the FCHI-2 Reference Guide and other available modules.
09:45:00:00
[Visual: Slide that reads: "Thank you!" The National Housing Strategy logo, the Canada wordmark and the CMHC logo appear on the footer.]
Thank you!
09:47:00:00
[Visual: The National Housing Strategy logo, the Canada wordmark and the CMHC logo appear in a row.]
(Visual: Logos of the National Housing Strategy, the Government of Canada and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation are displayed side by side on a white background. The former two logos fade out, followed by the CMHC logo moving toward the centre and filling up the screen in an animated transition to the first slide of the presentation.)
0:00:02
(Visual: Presentation slide featuring yellow titles on the left side of the screen, against a dark blue background. In the centre is a wide-angle photograph of a building under construction, with a crane against a partly cloudy sky, three workers wearing helmets and security vests and piles of wood planks. On the right side of the screen is a photograph of a man and woman perusing a building blueprint on a picnic table, with pine trees and an excavator in the background. Small logos of the National Housing Strategy, the Government of Canada and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation appear in a banner on the lower portion of the screen, against a white background.)
On-screen text:
Federal Community Housing Initiative
Module 1: Program Overview
NARRATOR:
Welcome to our first video module. This module will provide a program overview of the Federal Community Housing Initiative.
0:00:10
(Visual: Presentation slide featuring yellow titles in the left portion of the screen, in larger characters, and white text in the right portion, against a dark blue background. A small yellow box bearing the title “The National Housing Strategy” appears in a white banner on the top portion of the screen, against a white background.)
On-screen text:
What is the Federal Community Housing Initiative?
The Federal Community Housing Initiative (FCHI) is $618.2 million fund designed to support community housing projects reaching the end of their operating agreements from past social and affordable housing programs.
The initiative has two phases:
NARRATOR:
The Federal Community Housing Initiative is a $618 million fund designed to support community housing projects reaching the end of their operating agreements from past social and affordable housing programs. The initiative has two phases. Phase 1 provided $38 million in federal funding over a two-year period, from 2018 to 2020. Phase 2 provides $580 million in funding for housing providers whose agreements have expired or will expire by March 31, 2028. These modules will provide an overview of Phase 2 of the Federal Community Housing Initiative, referred to as FCHI-2. Phase 2 has two funding streams: rental assistance and transitional funding. For our first series of video modules, we’re going to focus on the rental assistance stream.
0:01:11
(Visual: Presentation slide featuring yellow titles in the left portion of the screen, in larger characters, and white text in the right portion, against a dark blue background. A small yellow box bearing the title “The National Housing Strategy” appears in a white banner on the top portion of the screen, against a white background.)
On-screen text:
Are You an Eligible Housing Provider?
There are two general rules to be an eligible FCHI-2 housing provider:
NARRATOR:
There are two general rules to be an eligible FCHI-2 housing provider: be a housing provider whose federal operating agreement with CMHC has expired or will expire before March 31, 2028, and be a provider whose operating agreement with CMHC is under one of the eligible social housing programs. Please refer to the FCHI-2 Reference Guide for the list of eligible programs. Eligible providers will receive an invitation from CMHC at least six months before the end of their agreement.
0:01:50
(Visual: Presentation slide featuring yellow titles in the left portion of the screen, in larger characters, and white text in the right portion, against a dark blue background. A small yellow box bearing the title “The National Housing Strategy” appears in a white banner on the top portion of the screen, against a white background.)
On-screen text:
What is Rental Assistance?
Rental assistance is available to housing providers who have low-income tenants.
It aims to fund the gap between 30% of an assisted household’s gross monthly income and the occupancy charge (also known as rent).
NARRATOR:
Rental assistance is financial assistance intended for low-income households. To receive rental assistance, a household must be in housing need. This usually means that the household must spend more than 30% of its gross income on housing. The goal of rental assistance is to help ensure that households don’t spend more than 30% of their gross income on housing.
0:02:15
(Visual: Presentation slide featuring yellow titles in the left portion of the screen, in larger characters, and white text in the right portion, against a dark blue background. A small yellow box bearing the title “The National Housing Strategy” appears in a white banner on the top portion of the screen, against a white background.)
On-screen text:
How to Calculate Rental Assistance under FCHI-2
For more information on rental assistance calculations, please refer to the Rental Assistance Calculation Worksheet module.
NARRATOR:
The following is an example of how to calculate rental assistance under FCHI-2. In this example, a household has a monthly income of $1,800 and a rent, also known as the full occupancy charge, of $750. As their monthly income is $1,800, 30% of this would be $540. To calculate the amount of rental assistance this household is eligible to receive, you would subtract 30% of their income, which in this case is $540, from their rent, which is $750. The amount of rental assistance that would be provided is $210. However, the calculation parameters also include certain additional considerations, including but not limited to the minimum occupant charge, adjustments for utilities included in the lease and overhousing charge. For more information on rental assistance calculations, please refer to the Rental Assistance Calculation Worksheet module. Please note: Households receiving similar support or rental assistance from any other source, including municipal, provincial or federal initiatives, are ineligible for rental assistance through this program. It is the responsibility of housing providers, as well as households, to choose the most beneficial rental assistance option available to them.
0:03:45
(Visual: Presentation slide featuring yellow titles in the left portion of the screen, in larger characters, and white text in the right portion, against a dark blue background. A small yellow box bearing the title “The National Housing Strategy” appears in a white banner on the top portion of the screen, against a white background.)
On-screen text:
How the Process Works?
NARRATOR:
How the process works: An eligible housing provider identifies the rental assistance needs of its low-income households. The housing provider completes the FCHI-2 enrolment form and submits it to CMHC. CMHC then verifies the eligibility of the housing provider and determines the amount of annual funding, based on the information submitted. An agreement is signed between CMHC and the housing provider, specifying the amount of funding and the number of households receiving rental assistance during the agreement. CMHC provides rental assistance payments from the effective date of the agreement and, starting on the effective date of the agreement, the housing provider applies the funding to rents of low-income households assisted under the agreement. Each year, the housing provider must submit to CMHC or its representative, the Agency for Co-operative Housing, the Agency, all mandatory documentation, including audited financial statements and an annual report on the use of rental assistance. CMHC or its representative reconciles the assistance paid and used according to the program guidelines.
0:05:00
(Visual: Presentation slide featuring yellow titles in the left portion of the screen, in larger characters, and white text in the right portion, against a dark blue background. A hyperlink appears in dark blue characters within the white text. A small yellow box bearing the title “The National Housing Strategy” appears in a white banner on the top portion of the screen, against a white background.)
On-screen text:
What Happens if My Needs Change?
Because needs change, it may be possible to amend the amount of funding provided monthly or change the number of assisted households.
For more information, please contact the FCHI-2 team (fchi2-iflc2@cmhc.ca).
NARRATOR:
Knowing that the needs of assisted households can vary over time, the agreement under certain conditions may be amended to establish a new amount of funding and/or change the number of assisted households. This is just an overview of how the program works. For more information on the conditions and requirements of each step, please refer to the FCHI-2 Reference Guide and the other available modules.
0:05:27
(Visual: Presentation slide featuring yellow titles in the left portion of the screen, in larger characters, and white text in the right portion, against a dark blue background. Two hyperlinks appear in dark blue characters within the white text. A small yellow box bearing the title “The National Housing Strategy” appears in a white banner on the top portion of the screen, against a white background.)
On-screen text:
Who to Contact for More Information about Program Administration
There are resources available to support the administration of FCHI-2, including tools for calculating rental assistance.
NARRATOR:
CMHC and the Agency have resources to help housing providers with the administration of programs, including tools for calculating rental assistance. For more information about program administration for co-operatives administered by the Agency, please email info@agency.coop. For housing providers administered by CMHC, please email ge-am.adm@cmhc.ca. Additional information is also available on the website.
0:06:03
(Visual: Presentation slide featuring yellow titles in the left portion of the screen, in larger characters, and white text in the right portion, against a dark blue background. A small yellow box bearing the title “The National Housing Strategy” appears in a white banner on the top portion of the screen, against a white background.)
On-screen text:
What Else Do You Need to Know?
This is just an overview of how the program works.
For more information on the conditions and requirements of each step, please refer to the FCHI-2 Reference Guide and other available modules.
NARRATOR:
This is just an overview of how the program works. For more information on the conditions and requirements of each step, please refer to the FCHI-2 Reference Guide and other available modules.
0:06:16
(Visual: Presentation slide featuring yellow text in the centre of the screen against a dark blue background. Small-sized logos of the National Housing Strategy, the Government of Canada and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation appear in a banner on the lower portion of the screen, against a white background. The screen collapses within the CMHC logo, in an animated transition to a white background. The CMHC logo moves to the right side of the frame, and the National Housing Strategy and Government of Canada logos fade in on the left side and centre of the screen.)
On-screen text:
Thank you!
NARRATOR:
Thank you.
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