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Seed Funding

Interest-free loans and/or non-repayable contributions to develop and preserve affordable housing.

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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.

For details relating to Seed (New Construction Stream) please refer to the information below.

For details relating to Seed (Preservation Stream) please visit Preservation Funding for Community Housing.

Seed Funding in action: Find out how affordable housing organizations in Gatineau, Quebec are using Seed funding to help women affected by domestic violence have an affordable place to call home. Find other similar success stories here.

Fund details

Interest-free loans
The interest-free loan offers a 3-year period to complete and submit a payment request. The loan can be combined with non-repayable contributions.

Non-repayable contributions
The Non-repayable contribution offers a 2-year period to complete and submit a payment request.

Maximum funding amounts are determined during the scoring and prioritization process. For more information, see “Application and Approval Process” below and the Product Highlight Sheet (PDF).

Considerations for Indigenous and Northern Housing Solutions Clients
In addition to a Ministerial Loan Guarantee (MLG), Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) is now accepting four additional alternative types of security for projects on First Nation lands.

New construction stream

The New Construction Stream provides interest-free loans and/or non-repayable contributions to help with costs related to pre-development activities. This can include business plans, preliminary designs, development permits and more.

Who can apply?

  • community housing providers
  • municipalities, provinces and territories
  • Indigenous governments and organizations
  • private sector groups

Eligible project types

  • Indigenous community housing
  • community and affordable housing
  • mixed-used market / affordable rental
  • shelters, transitional housing and supportive housing
  • conversion of non-residential buildings to affordable multi-residential
  • renovation of existing affordable units at risk of being abandoned or demolished

Minimum requirements
Your project must:

  • be primarily residential
  • have a minimum of 5 affordable units/beds
  • be considered affordable, as determined by the Municipality, Province or Territory, or as accepted under other CMHC programs

Preservation Stream

The Seed (Preservation Stream) provides non-repayable contributions to support costs related to preservation activities. To learn more about the Seed (Preservation Stream) please visit Preservation Funding for Community Housing.

Application and approval process

CMHC will accept and review applications on a continuous basis.

Prioritization of applications
All applications for funding will be assessed based on program fit, outcomes, and on the achievement of National Housing Strategy outcomes including:

  • housing for those in greatest need (vulnerable Canadians)
  • housing for those in the North (Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut)
  • partnerships and collaborations
  • social sustainability
  • economic sustainability
  • environmental sustainability
    • During assessment, CMHC will determine the amount of funding your project is eligible to receive.

Resources

The following resources are available to help you prepare your application:

  • Product Highlight Sheet (PDF)
  • Product Highlight sheet (Indigenous) (PDF)
  • Seed Funding Application – Required Documentation Listing (PDF)
  • Development Checklist for Affordable Housing
  • Rental Market Data
  • CMHC Viability Assessment (XLSX)
  • Integrity Declaration (PDF)

Apply today

The application form will consist of a number of questions over several pages. You can see your progress through the steps of the application at the top of each page.

As you move forward through the application, the completed pages will be saved automatically. Partially completed pages – those that are missing required fields – will not be saved.

You may leave the application portal and return at a later time; your application progress will be saved.

For your application to be considered the following information must be completed and uploaded inside the portal:

  1. Signed Integrity Declaration (PDF): To ensure the integrity of persons or entities applying for funding under Seed Funding.
  2. The required documents listed in the Seed Funding Application (New Construction) – Document Requirements (PDF).
  3. Completed CMHC Viability Assessment (XLSX).

Important:

  1. Seed (New Construction Stream): apply using the Seed Funding form in the application portal.
  2. Seed (Preservation Stream): apply using the Preservation Funding form in the application portal.
  3. Give yourself ample time to fill out the detailed, multi-page, online form.
REGISTER AND APPLY TODAY

Notice: There are currently issues affecting users of Safari. For optimal performance, CMHC recommends using Chrome, Edge or Internet Explorer to submit your application.

Contact

For help in completing your application, contact your Affordable Housing Specialist. They can help you understand and assess your needs, identify possible solutions, provide information on how CMHC can support your goals and help you navigate our application process.

General inquiries or technical support

  • Phone: 1-800-668-2642 - Business hours : 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (ET)
  • Email: contactcentre@cmhc.ca

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Online Application Portal

Before starting your application, please take a moment to download, save, and review our portal guide. The guide includes information required to create your profile and start the application process successfully.

Download the portal guide (PDF)Start your application

Have questions? Need further support? Contact one of our regional CMHC specialists.


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Date Published: June 25, 2021

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