Skip to content
CMHC Home Canada Mortgage
and Housing Corporation
  • Sign In or Register
  • FRANÇAIS
  • MENU
MENU
× FRANÇAIS
  • Home
  • Professionals
    • Project funding and mortgage financing
      • Funding programs
        • Affordable Housing Innovation Fund
        • Community (social) housing
        • Federal Lands Initiative
        • Funding for Indigenous housing
        • Housing Accelerator Fund
        • Housing Supply Challenge
        • Innovation and research
        • National Housing Co-Investment Funding
        • National Housing Strategy Project Profiles
        • Rapid Housing Initiative
        • Rental Construction Financing Initiative
        • Shared Equity Mortgage Providers Fund
      • Mortgage loan insurance
        • Homeowner and small rental mortgage loan insurance
        • Homeowner Business Transformation (HBT)
          • Arrears Report Upload Tool - Coming 2022
          • Default Management Request Submission Tool
          • Homeowner Claims Submission Tool
          • User Access Management (Coming Soon)
        • Multi-unit mortgage loan insurance
          • MLI Select
        • Default, claims and properties for sale
        • Underwriting centre
        • emili
        • NHA approved lenders
        • Calculating GDS / TDS
        • How to recognize and report mortgage fraud
          • Approved Lender Advise of Fraudulent, False and Misleading Information
        • Contact mortgage loan insurance
        • Insured Mortgage Purchase Program (IMPP)
        • COVID-19: CECRA for small businesses has ended
      • Securitization
        • NHA Mortgage Backed Securities
        • Canada Mortgage Bonds
        • Canadian registered covered bonds
        • Blockchain in the housing industry
    • Housing markets, data and research
      • Housing markets
        • CMHC Reports Calendar
        • Housing market reports
        • Mortgage market and consumer reports
      • Housing research
        • Consultations
          • Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act
            • Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act – Frequently asked questions
        • Housing research reports
        • Housing surveys
        • Research awards and scholarships
        • Understanding core housing need
        • Collaborative Housing Research Network
      • Housing data
        • Data tables
          • Household characteristics data
          • Housing market data
          • Mortgage and debt data
          • Rental market data
        • Housing market information portal
        • Residential Mortgage Industry Data Dashboard
        • Housing in Canada Online (HiCO)
        • CMHC licence agreement for the use of data
        • Housing Knowledge Centre
    • Industry innovation and leadership
      • Housing innovation
      • Our Partners
        • Partnerships
        • Federal, Provincial and Territorial Forum on Housing
          • Resources for Members of the Federal, Provincial and Territorial Forum on Housing
      • Industry collaboration
      • Industry expertise
        • Affordable housing
        • Indigenous housing
        • Senior housing
        • Accessible and adaptable housing
          • Universal Design Guide
        • Developing sustainable housing
        • Resources for mortgage professionals
        • CMHC e-newsletters
    • Events and speakers
      • Conferences
      • Speakers’ bureau
  • Consumers
    • Buying a home
      • Homebuying calculators
        • Mortgage calculator
        • Affordability calculator
        • Debt service calculator
      • Buying guides
        • Homebuying step by step
        • CMHC's condominium buyer's guide
      • Mortgage loan insurance for consumers
        • What is CMHC mortgage loan insurance?
        • Do I qualify for mortgage loan insurance?
        • CMHC mortgage loan insurance costs
        • CMHC Eco Plus
        • CMHC — home renovation financing options
        • FAQs — mortgage loan insurance
        • COVID-19: understanding mortgage payment deferral
      • First-time home buyer incentive
      • Incentives for homebuyers
      • Newcomers
    • Owning a home
      • Manage your mortgage
        • Mortgage fraud
        • Mortgage planning tips
        • Plan and manage your mortgage
        • Your credit report
        • Your home value
      • Aging in place
        • Housing options for Seniors
        • Housing and finance tips
        • Mortgage financing options for people 55+
        • Preventing fraud and financial abuse
    • Renting a home
      • I want to rent
        • Things to consider before renting
        • Types of housing for rent in Canada
        • Finding or advertising a rental property
        • Visiting the rental property
        • Lease and rental agreements
        • Signing the lease
        • Credit checks and bad credit
        • Rental payments and deposits
        • Roommates and pets
      • I am renting
        • Moving day
        • Landlord/Tenant responsibilities
        • Inspections
        • Maintenance and repairs
        • Complaints and evictions
        • Rent increases
        • When you can't pay rent
        • Renewing or terminating the lease
        • Moving out
      • One-Time Top-Up to the Canada Housing Benefit
      • COVID‑19: eviction bans and suspensions to support renters
  • About CMHC
    • CMHC’s Story
    • Management and governance
      • Speakers’ bureau
      • Annual public meeting
      • Board of directors and committees
      • Our management committee
      • Pension governance
        • Pension overview
        • Key roles and responsibilities
        • Annual reports
    • Corporate reporting
      • CMHC annual report
      • Program evaluation
      • Quarterly financial reports
      • Joint auditors special examination report to CMHC board 2018
      • CMHC’s Insured Mortgage Deferral
      • Summary of the corporate plan
      • Transparency
        • Access to information and privacy protection
        • Accessibility at CMHC
        • Accessibility feedback process
        • Briefing materials
        • Procurement
          • Vendor Diversity Program
        • Travel, hospitality and conference expenditures
    • Contact us
      • CMHC departments
        • Contact your multi-unit housing solutions specialist
        • Contact mortgage loan insurance
        • Indigenous and the North Housing Solutions
      • Granville lsland
      • Media relations
      • National office
      • Regional offices
      • Holiday service hours
    • Careers
  • Media Newsroom
    • Coronavirus (COVID-19) updates
    • Media relations
    • New social housing buildings for women in Montreal
  • National Housing Strategy
    • What is the strategy?
      • About the initiatives
      • How to apply
      • Help and resources
      • Priority areas for action
      • The National Housing Strategy Glossary of Common Terms
      • The Strategy in Action
    • Federal/Provincial/Territorial housing agreements
    • Other funding and financing opportunities
  • The Housing Observer
  • Careers
  • Housing Knowledge Centre
 
  • Home
  • Professionals
  • Project funding and mortgage financing
  • Funding programs
  • All funding opportunities
  • Federal Lands Initiative
  • Save page to My Folder
    Save
  • Share this page
    Share
NHS logo

Federal Lands Initiative

Surplus federal lands and buildings available for development into affordable housing units and communities.

Save Icon

SAVE TO MY FOLDER

Federal Lands Initiative

SAVE
Close this Window   |   Manage my Folder
Save Icon

SAVE TO MY FOLDER

Federal Lands Initiative

Done Done!
Close this Window   |   Manage my Folder
Share icon

Share via

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Mail
  • Twitter
  • print
  • CopyLink

SuccessCopyLinkVersionLink copied

Share icon

Share via

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Mail
  • Twitter
  • print
  • CopyLink

SuccessCopyLinkVersionLink copied

share icon

Mail-blue Share via Email

Did You Know?

You can include an email signature?

Register | Sign In

×
Google Captcha Loader
share icon

Mail-blue Share via Email

Done Done!
Close this window

Overview

The Federal Lands Initiative is a $200-million fund that supports the transfer of surplus federal lands and buildings to eligible proponents. This is available at discounted to no cost to be developed or renovated for use as affordable housing. The discount on the property will depend on the level of social outcomes achieved by the winning proposal. Once transferred, the property will be developed or renovated into affordable, sustainable, accessible and socially inclusive housing.

The Federal Lands Initiative is led by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) with support from:

  • Public Service and Procurement Canada (PSPC)
  • Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)
  • Canada Lands Company (CLC)

There are currently no properties available.

How it works

How surplus federal property is made available for use as affordable housing:

  1. Property is identified: Federal government departments and Crown corporations identify property that is no longer needed

  2. Due Diligence: Federal property owners perform necessary due diligence on the property (Indigenous consultations, environmental/physical condition assessments, etc.)

  3. Property Assessment: Federal property owners determine whether land and/or building(s) are suitable for use as affordable housing.

  4. Property review: Federal lands Initiative team reviews evaluated properties and expresses interest in suitable property. Re-zoning or pre-development work may be done at this stage.

  5. Property for Sale: Suitable property is made available for sale through the Federal Lands Initiative and posted to the CMHC-NHS website.

  6. Applications Accepted: Housing providers apply to purchase property for affordable housing project. Proposals are evaluated based on accessibility, affordability, environmental efficiency and community need.

  7. Project Selected: Winning application is selected and property is sold at discounted to no cost. Cost is based on the project’s social outcomes, proponent experience and project proposed. Agreements are signed to ensure the property is developed and maintained as affordable housing for no less than 25 years.

  8. Housing is built or renovated: Affordable housing is created or rejuvenated to the benefit of the community.

View or download the PDF to learn more

Eligibility and requirements

The Federal Lands Initiative is open but not limited to the following groups:

  • community housing organizations
  • non-profit organizations or registered charities
  • co-operative housing organizations
  • municipal, provincial and territorial governments including their agencies
  • Indigenous governments and organizations, including Tribal Councils
  • for profit organizations

Eligible affordable housing projects include, but are not limited to:

  • mixed-income
  • mixed-use (commercial space should not exceed 30% of gross floor area)
  • mixed-tenure
  • shelters
  • transitional housing
  • supportive housing
  • rental housing
  • affordable homeownership
       
  • Minimum Requirements

    Proposals to build or renovate surplus federal property into affordable housing must meet the following minimum requirements:

    • Affordability: At least 30% of units must be less than 80% of Median Market Rent, for a minimum of 25 years.
    • Accessibility: At least 20% of units must meet accessibility standards and projects must be barrier-free or demonstrate full universal design.
    • Energy Efficiency: New projects are required to achieve either a 25% decrease in energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions relative to the 2015 National Energy Code for Buildings or the 2015 National Building Code; OR a 15% decrease relative to the 2017 National Energy Code for Buildings.
      For repair or renewal projects, a 25% decrease in energy use and greenhouse gas emissions relative to past performance of the property is required.
    • Evidence of Community Need: Proponents must provide a clear description of how their project will meet the needs of the community and at least a letter of support from the municipality, a market study or waiting lists for social or affordable housing in the community.
    • Experience: Proponents, or their team, must indicate a minimum of 5 years of experience in the construction/renovation and operation of projects of similar size and scope.
    • Financial Viability: Projects must meet the minimum debt coverage ratio (DCR) of 1.10.

Resources

  • FLI Application Guide (PDF)
  • Energy Efficiency and Accessibility Requirements Guide (PDF)

Contact

 

Contact a CMHC Specialist if you need more information than what is available online. They are experts in the specific needs, challenges and opportunities within their unique markets across Canada.

General inquiries about the National Housing Strategy or technical support

  • Phone: 1-800-668-2642 (Business hours: 8 am to 6 pm Eastern Time)
  • Email: contactcentre@cmhc.ca

An asterisk (*) indicates a required field.

Sign up for updates!

We’ll send you notification when new properties become available.



Was this page relevant to your needs?

Thank you for your feedback!

Sorry to hear that! Can you tell us about the problem?

Google Captcha Loader

For further assistance, please contact us

Thank you. Your feedback has been submitted.

Date Published: May 2, 2018

By Topic

  • Professionals
    • Project funding and mortgage financing
    • Housing markets data and research
    • Industry innovation and leadership
    • Events and speakers
  • Consumers
    • Home buying
    • Owning a home
    • Renting a home

About Us

  • CMHC's Story
  • Management and Governance
  • Our Partners
  • Corporate Reporting
  • Contact Us
  • Careers

More

  • CMHC e-Newsletters
  • CMHC Library
  • Housing Observer Online
  • Media Newsroom
  • CMHC on Twitter
  • CMHC on LinkedIn
  • CMHC on Facebook
  • CMHC on Instagram
  • CMHC on YouTube
Privacy Policy    |    Terms and Conditions    |    Transparency    |    Accessibility Plan    |    Accessibility Feedback     Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) ©2023 
Canada
loader icon