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National Housing Strategy

National Housing Strategy Solutions Labs

Funding to tackle persistent and complex housing issues, enabling the rapid development of potential solutions.

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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.

IMPORTANT
Due to high demand, the NHS Solutions Labs intake portal is now closed until further notice. Please reach out to innovation-research@cmhc-schl.gc.ca for questions or assistance.

What is the National Housing Strategy Solutions Labs Program?

Solutions Labs are an innovative approach to tackling complex societal challenges that require systems change. They provide a safe space for diverse perspectives to come together, for assumptions to be questioned and to experiment with housing solutions.

Fund details

Community housing providers face unique challenges in creating affordable housing and deepening or preserving affordability compared to private sector developers. These challenges exist in:

  • financing
  • acquisition of land or existing affordable housing
  • development
  • construction
  • operation
  • replication

If you have a solution that helps community housing providers overcome these barriers your solution may be eligible. Additionally, if you’re a community housing provider with a solution that can be replicated by others and results in the creation of affordable units or enhances or preserves affordability, your solution may qualify.

Ideal candidates need to demonstrate a commitment to generating affordable housing units within 1 to 3 years following the solution lab and roadmap.

See the Applicant Guide for details. CMHC reserves the right to decide if a proposed solution is in scope for this call for proposals.

Successful projects are eligible for funding up to a maximum of $250,000*.

*Note: CMHC may grant larger amounts based on the rationale and expected impact provided by applicants. For more details, please see the Applicant Guide.

About the National Housing Strategy Solutions Labs Program

Solutions Labs are also called social innovation labs, design labs or change labs. They’re an innovative approach to tackling complex societal challenges that require systems change.

Housing challenges may include:

  • affordability
  • social inclusion
  • northern and remote supports
  • Indigenous housing
  • environmental sustainability

They provide a safe space for diverse perspectives to come together, for assumptions to be questioned and to experiment with housing solutions.

Housing solutions may include:

  • emerging technologies
  • best practices
  • innovative policies
  • programs

Organizations receiving funding to create project teams. They are encouraged to bring together a variety of stakeholders to gather diverse perspectives on an issue. The funding recipients also need to work with expert innovation consultants who have experience in the design and implementation of Solutions Labs.

Together, they will:

  • examine and reframe current housing issues
  • use innovative problem-solving best practices and tools
  • co-develop potential solutions to be prototyped and tested
  • create a roadmap that clearly describes how the solution(s) can be implemented

Am I eligible?

Funding is available to eligible Canadian individuals, corporations and organizations who aim to address housing-related issues identified in the National Housing Strategy’s priority areas.

Eligible applicants include:

  • government agencies
  • affordable housing providers
  • Indigenous organizations
  • agencies and non-governmental organizations involved in National Housing Strategy priority area activities
  • people with lived experiences that can provide firsthand expertise to co-development of solutions
  • private sector stakeholders (including builders, developers, designers and planners)

Eligibility requirements

  • Strategic: your lab must focus on resolving affordable housing problems within National Housing Strategy priority areas or among priority populations.
  • Collaborative: your lab must gather a wide range of stakeholders including those with lived experiences to find solutions that are practical, replicable, implementable and deliverable within a realistic timeframe.
  • Innovative: your lab must include an expert Solutions Labs consultant in innovation methods and tools as part of the project team.

Application steps

Follow these steps to apply:

  1. Register and create an online profile and complete the various sections of the application portal. If you already have a profile sign in and select start a new application, select the Solutions Lab program and begin the application process.
  2. Refer to the Solutions Lab Applicant Guide 2024 for guidance and instructions on the application process.

Required files for your application:

  • Download and complete the fillable Integrity Declaration Form and upload it to your online profile.
  • Download and complete this fillable Statement of Work (SOW) and upload it to your online profile.
  • Download and complete the fillable Budget template and upload it to your online profile.
  • Gather support letters from your partners and upload them to your online profile.

SELECTION PROCESS

The Solutions Labs Program follows a continuous intake process. This means new themes may be added over time. We encourage you to sign up to our distribution list for updates at innovation-research@cmhc-schl.gc.ca and to consult our website before submitting your application.

CMHC invites eligible applicants to:

  1. Develop, implement, operate and administer a Solutions Lab project that leads to the development of solution(s) that address barriers to scaling and supporting the Community housing provider’s sector. Solutions must also align with the National Housing Strategy priority areas, priority populations and shared outcomes.
  2. Contribute to the achievement of federal outcomes relating to the National Housing Strategy by supporting the fostering of a culture of innovation in the affordable housing sector.
  3. Develop roadmaps for the rapid implementation and scaling of the solution(s) designed and tested in the Lab.

Application Resources

  • What is a Solutions Lab (PDF)
  • Fact Sheet (PDF)
  • Solutions Lab Consultant Information
  • Brand guidelines (PDF)
  • Glossary (PDF)
  • 2024 National Housing Strategy Solutions Lab Applicant Guide (PDF)
  • Integrity Declaration Form (PDF)
  • Statement of Work (SOW) (PDF)
  • Budget template (XSL)

External resources that can help guide your Solutions Lab activities and results:

  • Waterloo Institute for Social Innovation and Resilience Social Innovation Lab Guide
  • The Think Jar Collective Social Innovation Field Guide (PDF)
  • CONVERGE: Canadian Lab Practitioners Exchange
  • Living Guide to Social Innovation Labs

APPLY TODAY

IMPORTANT
The NHS Solution Labs is now closed until further notice. Please reach out to innovation-research@cmhc-schl.gc.ca for questions or assistance.

Funded projects

2024 – 25 Funded Projects

Advancing Inclusive and Affordable Housing for People with Developmental Disabilities

This lab aims to address the significant housing challenges faced by people with developmental disabilities who often have low incomes and rely on government assistance. Despite past efforts, there has been little progress in increasing the supply of deeply affordable, inclusive housing due to a lack of coordinated, system-wide approaches. This lab will bring together policymakers, housing developers, financial institutions, philanthropic organizations and people with lived experience to co-develop a replicable framework. At its core will be an innovative partnership model and adaptable funding strategy designed to fast-track the creation of deeply affordable inclusive housing. By building strong cross-sector collaborations and designing scalable solutions, the project will not only deliver inclusive housing for people with disabilities but also contribute to a broader increase in affordable housing supply. The goal is to significantly accelerate development over the next 1 to 3 years and provide a model that can be applied in communities across Canada.

AI-Powered Toolkit for Transforming Faith-based Lands into Affordable Housing – Montréal, Quebec

This lab helps faith communities transform underused lands into affordable housing by using geospatial mapping and AI-driven models to identify development-ready sites. It provides design concepts, 3D models and best practices to guide land conversion by analyzing zoning, service access and housing needs. The project offers a replicable solution, enabling faith-based groups to create affordable housing while sustaining their social missions.

Bridging Housing Gaps for Racialized Women in Crisis

This lab explores new ways to meet the housing needs of racialized women in the Waterloo region, especially those moving on from crisis situations. As opposed to traditional development, this lab explores a community-led, asset-based approach to create safe, culturally appropriate housing with wrap-around supports. The lab will use a scattered-site model, partnering with local homeowners to add units and help women integrate into welcoming neighbourhoods. Mid-term housing options with tailored, culturally sensitive services will help bridge the gap between shelters and permanent housing, reducing repeat crises and promoting long-term stability. The lab also supports local organizations not usually involved in housing by giving them tools and partnerships to help expand community-based solutions. Recognizing the strong link between housing and health, it brings together different sectors to support overall well-being. This innovative, community-driven model reflects cultural identities, fosters belonging and offers a sustainable way to close housing and service gaps for racialized women.

Building for Recovery

This lab focuses on creating abstinence-based recovery homes that provide transitional housing for individuals recovering from addiction and homelessness. The goal is to develop a model for recovery housing that can be replicated in different communities. By using social innovation strategies and collaborating with a range of partners, the lab will identify key opportunities for securing resources, funding and improving operations. It aims to redefine how recovery housing addresses both homelessness and addiction, making these solutions more sustainable and scalable for long-term impact. The proposed “recovery campus” model will include up to 6 new homes, housing 8 to 10 residents each, resulting in 60 transitional housing beds.

Building Scalable, Localized Models for Affordable Housing Development

This lab takes a community-focused, step-by-step approach to tackling barriers in affordable housing. It will introduce innovative funding options including a zero-interest bridge financing solution, providing early-stage support to help with pre-construction hurdles such as zoning and permits, making it easier and less risky for housing providers to get started. The project also brings together a task force, advisory committee and community of practice to guide decisions, share knowledge and build skills across sectors. By focusing on local needs and cross-sector collaboration, this lab aims to create affordable housing solutions that are inclusive, sustainable, and easy to adapt in different communities. Three pilot projects will receive early funding through this lab to help them complete key steps before construction, like permits and approvals. This support will prepare them to apply for larger funding from CMHC and other sources.

Community Interest Company: A New Investment Model for Community Housing Solutions – Halifax, Nova Scotia

This lab aims to unlock large-scale capital for affordable housing in Canada by exploring the use of a Community Interest Company (CIC) model. A CIC can balance affordable housing needs with investor interests, attracting private investment and reducing costs. The project will develop a strategic plan and CIC prototypes to scale housing projects, build sector capacity and drive sustainable growth.

Cooperative Finance for Community Homes: Leveraging Existing Credit Union Tools and Capacity to Support CLT Growth

This lab will explore how credit unions can create new financial tools to help community land trusts grow. Community land trusts often struggle to get enough funding to buy and hold land for affordable housing. The lab will bring together credit unions, community land trusts and financial experts to design and test solutions like simplified community bonds, equity-like loans, and blended finance options. These tools aim to close the funding gap that community land trusts face, especially for financing that doesn’t require regular repayments or can sit behind a mortgage. By working together, the partners will ensure the tools are practical, scalable and easy for credit unions to implement. The most promising ideas will be tested in real-world situations and shared widely with other housing organizations. The goal is to make it easier for community land trusts to acquire property and create more permanent affordable housing.

Expanding capacity and capital for affordable housing intermediaries

This lab aims to connect key players — investors, capital intermediaries and community housing providers — to unlock new funding for affordable housing. It will engage a wide national network of institutional investors, including foundations, high-net-worth individuals, faith-based groups, and portfolio managers, many of whom want to support housing but lack a clear pathway. A major barrier to building and preserving community housing is access to capital. This lab sees specialized intermediaries as a missing link — organizations that pool investment products and direct funds toward housing projects. It explores how to grow and strengthen these intermediaries, making them ready to raise and deploy capital effectively. The lab also looks at how to use technology to expand access to impact investment projects and connect funders with housing providers. By building these bridges, the lab aims to create a more coordinated, scalable approach to financing community housing across Canada.

Factory-Built Affordable Housing – Toronto, Ontario

This lab accelerates affordable housing delivery by streamlining site readiness and using factory-built construction. It focuses on creating a prototype for preparing public land for modular housing and developing a roadmap to scale this approach. By fostering collaboration among municipal departments, community housing agencies, builders and landowners, this lab offers a replicable model to deliver high-quality affordable housing faster and more efficiently.

Financing Community Led Housing Projects

Community-led housing projects — like co-ops, land trusts, co-housing and small non-profits — are built by local people responding to local needs. These efforts already contribute to the housing supply on a small scale, but in places like the UK and EU, community-led housing plays a much bigger role. What’s missing in Canada is a reliable, tailored financing system. Right now, community-led housing groups often depend on expensive loans or unpredictable grants and donations, which limits their ability to grow and innovate. This lab will develop a roadmap for creating a dedicated community-led housing financing stream in Canada. It will bring together people with experience in housing development and finance, gather data on the real risks and opportunities and explore how to build a supportive financial ecosystem. The goal is to unlock the potential of community-led housing to build more housing for those in need and help address Canada’s housing crisis in a more sustainable, community-driven way.

First Nations National Playbook for Housing

This lab will support First Nations organizations and partners in creating a housing approach grounded in First Nations ways of knowing. It will lead to the development of a national playbook that guides how housing policy, programs and processes are designed and delivered for First Nations communities. The playbook offers practical guidance for governments, private sectors partners, non-profits and First Nations themselves, helping them align their efforts with First Nations perspectives and priorities. It also includes an implementation blueprint showing how to apply the approach within existing funding programs or as a new standalone model. While there are housing programs and policies for First Nations in Canada today, this framework will offer a culturally grounded and flexible foundation that can enhance current systems and shape future ones.

Forward Together: Pooling Community Housing Resources for Greater Impact – Ottawa, Ontario

This lab aims to scale community housing by helping providers pool their land and resources into a shared portfolio, enabling growth and more affordable housing. It will develop practical solutions and pilot a prototype in Ottawa with local partners through a co-design process. The goal is to create an implementable and replicable model that preserves existing housing and supports new development of more affordable housing.

Igniting Community Investment in Non-Market Housing – Ottawa, Ontario

This lab aims to increase funding for non-market housing providers by reducing the risks of community investment. The lab will use a 2-part approach. The first part will explore the concerns of individual, group and institutional investors in Ottawa, Winnipeg and Halifax to understand cultural, policy and behavioural challenges. By addressing these barriers, the lab can unlock funding for community housing and strengthen local economies across Canada.

Integrated Housing for Newcomer Success: A Rural Settlement Innovation Model

This lab aims to improve how newcomers settle in rural Newfoundland and Labrador by creating a new model of affordable housing. It will test specifically designed rental units that include on-site services like language classes, employment support and health care. By combining housing with key services, the lab helps newcomers feel supported and connected, making it easier to adjust to life in their new community. It also tackles common rural challenges like isolation, high housing costs and lack of nearby services. Virtual reality will be used to design and test the housing and service spaces, allowing newcomers and other stakeholders to give feedback before anything is built. The result will be a practical, scalable housing model that can be used in other rural areas to support newcomer success.

Mobilizing Realtors for Affordable Housing Solutions

This lab sims to create a new path to affordable housing by combining community action, behavioral insights and technology. It unlocks untapped local resources through 3 key innovations:

  • a community investment model that empowers residents to invest using vehicles like Community Housing Bond’s and Social Purpose REITs, and

a realtor network that turns 1,500 real estate offices into advocates for housing solutions like secondary suites and multiplexes; Together, these tools form a powerful, self-sustaining system to boost affordable housing, support BC Housing’s $80K secondary suite initiative, and significantly increase the rate of adoption of accessory dwelling units.

National Community Bond for Affordable Housing – Toronto, Ontario

Building on the success of local bonds, this lab aims to develop a ready-to-implement national community bond to fund affordable housing across Canada. It will support housing providers of all sizes in developing projects tailored to local needs by providing early-stage capital. This initiative can unlock new funding, stimulate development and create a robust pipeline of affordable housing nationwide.

Preserving Chinatown’s Affordable Housing – Toronto, Ontario

This lab seeks to create a culturally competent housing strategy that combines traditional Chinatown models with modern community land trust approaches to preserve aging affordable housing. By developing and testing a tailored acquisition and governance model in Toronto’s Chinatown, it aims to preserve existing affordable housing while ensuring it remains community-led and culturally rooted. This scalable approach could protect and expand culturally significant affordable housing, setting a precedent for similar communities across Canada.

Scaling Affordable Housing Options for Justice-Involved Youth

This lab aims to create effective, affordable housing solutions for justice-involved youth with complex needs by identifying the core requirements for success, and then testing and scaling what works. Rather than relying on fragmented programs, it brings together youth, housing providers, service organizations and communities to co-design housing that is viable, scalable and sustainable. During the lab, at least 10 new units with wrap-around supports will be delivered in Belleville within a single building. In Ottawa, over 100 units will be created by scaling the successful Operation Come Home intermediary model, which is already operating with 30 units. The lab addresses key system gaps — such as youth being released without housing due to abrupt court discharges — and focuses on where systems interact or break down. By prototyping diverse solutions, the lab builds a practical roadmap for housing justice-involved youth, even in the absence of clear cross-sector accountability.

A Scalable Model for 2SLGBTQIA+ Senior Housing and Care

This lab is a national initiative to improve the lives of 2SLGBTQIA+ seniors by creating a new, scalable model that connects affordable housing, healthcare and social supports. It will contribute significantly to both the creation and improvement of housing units tailored to meet the needs of 2SLGBTQIA+ seniors. It tackles issues like social isolation, housing insecurity and lack of inclusive care by bringing together diverse partners with deep experience across sectors. What makes this effort unique is its collaborative, human-centred approach, designed with and for seniors, and its focus on real, actionable solutions. By combining research, lived experience and practical tools, the lab not only supports 2SLGBTQIA+ seniors but also builds on a model that can be adapted for other communities across Canada.

Scalable Partnerships Between Mid-Sized Housing Providers and Housing Developments – Ottawa, Ontario

This lab aims to help community housing providers overcome financial and structural barriers to build more affordable housing. By collaborating with private developers, legal experts and financial institutions, it will explore partnership models to make mixed-income housing development more feasible. Partner teams in Halifax, Cape Breton and Ottawa will test adaptable frameworks and tools to help community housing providers scale efforts, improve sustainability and expand affordable housing nationwide.

Scaling Up Canada’s Community Housing Sector: Bundling Assets and Building Capacity – Toronto, Ontario

This lab introduces a model for community housing providers to pool assets regionally, enabling easier financing and development of large-scale affordable housing while maintaining independence. Using 3 diverse models in operation the lab will co-develop solution porotype that is bilingual, multicultural and scalable, leading to more affordable housing . By bundling resources, organizations can boost financial capacity, secure government sites and create mixed-income housing for lasting social impact.

Scalable Zoning Reform for Faith-based Affordable Housing – Toronto Ontario

This lab seeks to reform restrictive zoning laws that hinder community and faith-based organizations from developing affordable housing on their land. It will create flexible zoning solutions to reduce barriers and speed up approvals by collaborating with planners, policymakers and stakeholders. With engagement from 10 municipalities, the project aims to unlock underused community lands for affordable housing, addressing the crisis while preserving their community purpose.

Solutions for Culturally Responsive Newcomer Housing

This lab explores how community-serving organizations can be involved in designing housing models that better support diverse communities. It goes beyond just building homes by integrating services like health and social care. The lab focuses on understanding the experiences of newcomers to design a more complete community-oriented housing model that is culturally responsive and enhances tenant well-being. It encourages collaboration between municipal governments, housing developers and community organizations to break down barriers and align resources. By involving community expertise, housing solutions are tailored to the real needs of diverse populations. The lab will center newcomer voices and use insights from community organizations to ensure solutions will reflect cultural, social and economic needs. Based in Edmonton, it aims to develop scalable models and actionable insights that can be applied across Canada, tackling issues of affordability, diversity and inclusion in housing.

Sparking the Co-Living Market to Increase Affordable Housing Options for Priority Populations

This lab aims to expand affordable, community-oriented housing units by designing prototypes for co-living options in Canada. Co-living, where residents share space, costs and community, has proven successful in Europe by increasing density, reducing isolation and offering more flexible, affordable housing. In Canada, however, co-living faces barriers like unclear demand, financing challenges and a lack of support systems. This lab brings together developers, housing providers and community members to identify the requirements needed to make co-living viable and scalable. It supports pilot projects and integrates co-living into future developments. As more people, including older adults, seek alternatives to living alone or in institutional care, co-living offers a middle ground: affordable, connected living in their communities. By coordinating across sectors and focusing on practical solutions, this lab aims to unlock a co-living market in Canada that meets the needs of a changing and growing renter population. The lab explores new construction of co-living units as well as retrofits of larger 3-bedroom units.

Streamlining the Path to Partnership with Community Housing Providers and Private Market Developers – Toronto, Ontario

This lab aims to help community housing providers acquire high-quality land from private developers to build affordable homes. By creating win-win partnerships, financial models and clear agreements, it facilitates land transfers for housing near essential services. This approach strengthens housing providers, unlocks valuable land and increases the supply of affordable housing across Canada.

Unlocking Family Homes for Supportive Housing with Community Land Trusts – Kingston, Ontario

This lab aims to develop a housing model that addresses the growth challenges of community land trusts and the shortage of supportive housing for people with disabilities. By designing a prototype solution, it will explore how families can contribute properties to the community land trusts under terms that ensure permanent supportive housing. With legal, financial and operational frameworks, this model has the potential to scale across Canada, providing long-term housing solutions for those in need.

2021 Funded Projects 

Co-Creating Housing Solutions: Enacting Opportunities for Individuals with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
This Solutions Lab will address the barriers, strengths and opportunities for improving the housing tenure among youth with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Its innovative approach will engage youth with lived experience and blend an existing housing framework with community-based expertise to develop implementable solutions.
 
Advancing the Right to Housing for Women and Gender-Diverse Persons: Developing National Rights-Based Shelter Standard using a GBA+ Framework
This Solutions Lab brings together major Violence Against Women and homelessness stakeholders from across the country, It will explore a rights-based, gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) model for service delivery in emergency shelters. The Lab will co-develop and prototype “Rights-Based, GBA+ National Shelter Standards” to guide the transformation of service delivery.
 
Shelter in the Storm: Pathways to Generationally-Secure Housing in Southern New Brunswick
Skyrocketing property costs, overstretched social services and over 2 years of a pandemic have deepened housing barriers for vulnerable people. This Solutions Lab will co-develop solutions to improve housing accessibility and security in urban southern New Brunswick for people who need complex supports.
 
Supporting Saskatoon's Most Vulnerable: A Systems Approach to Individuals Facing an Intersection of Challenges
This Solutions Lab will focus on enhancing culturally appropriate and relevant support for people with complex needs. It will strengthen partnerships among housing support organizations. The project will co-develop a new way of working and collaborating that can have positive impacts in other areas of the community’s housing sector.
 
Gender Transformative Housing Supporting Women Leaving Violent Relationships: Co-creating Safe-at-Home Hamilton
“Safe at Home” programs enable women to stay in their homes while recovering from violence. The perpetrators of violence are relocated. This Solutions Lab challenges the conventional supports for women and children escaping violence by co-developing solutions for implementing the Safe at Home housing model in Canada.
 
2SLGBTQIA+ Seniors Co-living Apartment
This Solutions Lab uses an innovative approach to better understand the unique life experiences of 2SLGBTQIA+ seniors. By better understanding their needs and the systems that influence their lived experience, this Lab will co-develop innovative and supportive solutions to housing for 2SLGBTQIA+ seniors.
 
Seniors' Hidden Housing Solutions
Many seniors are “over housed” in single-detached homes that are unaffordable and hard to maintain. This Solutions Lab will explore housing solutions for in-need seniors through home sharing, secondary suites and accessory dwellings. It will analyze challenges holistically by looking at issues such as social isolation, risk of homelessness, affordability and per capita greenhouse gas emissions. Best practices will inform the lab to co-develop policy and program solutions across British Columbia and Canada.
 
Toward Mutual Gain: Boosting Housing Supply by Unlocking Trapped Value in Racialized Neighborhoods
This Solution Lab will provide pathways to simplify, decentralize and accelerate the creation of housing. It aims to co-develop solutions and empower 300 property owners with the necessary tools and resources in a consolidated, user-friendly platform so they can each bring 1 unit to market within 18 to 24 months.
 
Green Violin Veterans Village Lab
This Solutions Lab will explore increasing the housing supply for low-income veterans who are disproportionately impacted by homelessness. This project will co-develop a faster and more affordable solution for housing and build an innovative modular tiny home community infill project.
 
Social Financing for Social Inclusion
This Solutions Lab will co-develop solutions for social isolation and the lack of inclusive housing options for people with developmental disabilities through a social financing model. This project aims to implement its solution(s) on a large, cross-country scale using community connectors or facilitators in existing housing.
 
Understanding and Estimating Hidden Homelessness in Saskatoon
This Solutions Lab will co-develop a framework that strengthens decision-maker understanding of hidden homelessness in Saskatoon. It will bring together people with lived experience and service providers with existing relationships with people experiencing homelessness. The project team will develop a framework for policy and decision-making that addresses the self-identified needs of hidden homeless populations.
 
Transforming Policy Responses to Homeless Encampments in Canada: Implementing a Rights-Based, GBA+ Approach
The National Protocol on Homeless Encampments in Canada – A Human Rights Approach Protocol is a series of rights-based principles. It is being increasingly used by municipalities, stakeholder groups and encampment residents. This Solutions Lab will co-develop an effective approach to fostering inter- and intra-governmental collaboration in response to encampments. It will build on the Protocol and implement it at the local level.
 
Mechanisms for Funnelling Institutional ESG funds into Affordable Housing Development Projects
This Solutions Lab will co-develop a platform that provides a consistent, comparable and transparent funding market for affordable housing projects. It uses environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria to evaluate desired environmental, social and financial outcomes. It will enable the rapid scaling of private and institutional capital flows to projects and create stronger partnerships between developers, lenders, investors, regulators and the community.
 
Halal Housing Lab: Utilizing Untapped Restricted Philanthropic Capital to House Marginalized Ethno-Cultural Communities
Racialized, minority or newcomer women fleeing violence often need housing for larger and extended families, culturally appropriate supports for mental health and pathways into market housing that align with their values. This Solutions Lab aims to co-develop solutions to building affordable housing that meets their unique needs.
 
African Canadian Affordable Housing
This Solutions Lab will co-develop and deliver a more appropriate affordable housing solution for African Canadian communities. It will focus on creating a multigenerational affordable housing program that provides a traditional and sustainable environment for community members. It will give residents the necessary tools and support for success. Solutions will be transferable to communities with shared features.
 

2020 Funded Projects 

YWCA Building Sector Resiliency to Address Housing Needs of Most Vulnerable Canadians
This Solutions Lab brings housing and community leaders together to think collectively about how to best access and use capital to achieve more desirable outcomes. That is, delivering new housing at deeply subsidized rents (Social Assistance-level rates) for some of the most vulnerable populations.
 
A Home in a Neighbourhood Where I Belong
This Solutions Lab connects stakeholders from different sectors with people with disabilities and their families. Participants identify challenges to building inclusive housing. They share their knowledge and co-create and test solutions for creating inclusive, affordable housing.
 
Nunavut Condominium Corporation Insurance Solutions Lab
This Solutions Lab works with our partners to identify and engage key stakeholders exploring relevant issues and challenges with denied or expensive building insurance. It also identifies and prototypes potential solutions to this problem. The goal is to prevent loss of the structures and continue to house vulnerable populations.
 
Affordable Housing for Social Inclusion
This Solutions Lab creates innovative, inclusive housing options for individuals with developmental disabilities nationwide. Through a collaborative process, potential solutions will be piloted. A key tool to be built is a detailed journey/experience map of the process for developing new housing that could embed the principles of "reverse inclusion".
 
Creating Home Together: Supporting Women+ Through Housing Transitions
This Solutions Lab creates a roadmap on solutions to remove barriers to shelters and other services in the homelessness and violence against women sectors. Women and transgender people with lived expertise and nationwide partners will participate in workshops. The ideas and materials generated will help to develop adaptable housing and support solutions.
 
Housing Journeys Reimagined: Toward a Supportive Affordable Homeownership Opportunity
The Solutions Lab aims to introduce a new supportive, affordable ownership model that can help end chronic homelessness and generational poverty. The replication of this model across Canada would help decrease chronic homelessness by increasing options for affordable, stable housing. This approach could also reduce returns to homelessness by developing a wealth- and equity-generating opportunity for individuals experiencing homelessness.
 
Housing through an Autism Lens: A Pathway from Crisis to Solutions
The Solutions Lab develops a pathway to independent and affordable living for autistic adults. It includes an integrated set of flexible housing-related supports and services (based on functional ability and the spectrum of Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD needs). It also proposes actual brick and mortar solutions.
 
Building with Mission
This Solutions Lab tries to reduce pressures on hospitals and long-term care homes by determining and addressing the causes. The key is to impact social determinants of health and creating housing based on local needs. The goal is to create a collaborative playbook by documenting insights and learnings to develop affordable and supportive housing campuses.
 
Developing easy-to-use community decision-making tools to help achieve National Housing Strategy Goals
This Solutions lab opens the perceived black box of housing data to be easily used by decision makers. This project will be completed through a series of online workshops. The result will be a better understanding of the initial problems that will allow us to provide and support evidence-based consensus on solutions. It will also help teams to assess end-results for accountability, and identify further innovative opportunities.
 

2019 Funded Projects

Accessible, Affordable, Inclusive: Housing Solutions that Meet the Needs of People with Developmental Disabilities
The Solutions Lab will examine 3 significant barriers to housing that people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities face: (1) availability, (2) accessibility, and (3) cost.
 
Fundamentally integrating environmental performance into affordable housing solutions
The Solutions Lab will examine how to integrate environmental performance into the economic model of housing projects in order to enhance the long-term livability and viability of affordable housing.
 
Medicine Hat Systems Transformation Solutions Lab
The Solutions Lab will examine how to co-design a Systems Transformation Initiative that results in an integrated prevention, homelessness, housing, corrections, and health systems design and transformation process.
 
Balanced Housing Lab
The Solutions Lab will examine the emerging housing issues facing middle-income earners to be able to live and work within the City of North Vancouver, Squamish Nation, and District of West Vancouver.
 
Indigenous Housing Solutions Lab
The Solutions Lab will examine solutions to answer the question: What if we could co-create Indigenous homes to be sources of health, wealth and connection in tune with culture and the environment?
 
Surfacing our Strengths
The Solutions Lab will examine cross-sectoral, culturally appropriate, person-centered responses to housing needs and experiences of homelessness for women+. This includes women and people of marginalized gender identities (herein: “women+”) experiencing homelessness – including women+ and children fleeing violence.
 
Skookum Lab: Urban Housing Solutions for Indigenous Youth and Families
The Solutions Lab will be one of the first Indigenous-led, social innovation labs in Canada. Skookum Lab utilizes an Indigenous driven and Indigenous led methodology that incorporates Indigenous ways of knowing and being throughout.
 
Social wellbeing in modular housing: co-creating designs to nurture health and social support for vulnerable people
The Solutions Lab will examine modular housing as a promising rapid response to homelessness.
 
Indigenous Housing and Home-Lands Solutions Lab
The Solutions Lab will examine the economic development and employment opportunity related to a growing Indigenous population with legally recognized territorial assets and capital, and a need for housing.
 
Affordable Housing+: Solutions in an effort to shift the affordable housing baseline
The Solutions Lab will examine the important question: How does an individual or family unit move from a situation where affordable housing is required to a situation where it is no longer required?
 
Community Housing in Nunavut: New Approaches for Affordable, Appropriate Indigenous Housing Development
The Solutions Lab will examine the question: How can we seed and strengthen the community-housing sector’s participation in housing development and management in Nunavut?
 
Developing a model to leverage retail-level investments to finance affordable housing partnership for refugees
The Solutions Lab will examine the need for a replicable local investment option that is suitable for retail-level investors and is capable of financing the development of additional affordable housing for refugees and other vulnerable groups.
 
Reimagining Skills Training: Developing a complete housing systems approach in First Nations in Ontario
The Solutions Lab will examine the skills gaps most relevant to creating change in Ontario First Nation communities by identifying, addressing and overcoming skills barriers faced in controlling their housing systems.
 
Enabling Citizen-Led Housing: New Models for Seniors’ Housing Design and Development
The Solutions Lab seeks to engage seniors in co-designing a set of planning approaches and processes to enable a more balanced framework for the development of seniors’ housing between citizens, community organizations, and the private sector.
 
Igniting Housing Possibilities for Older Adults: Collaborative Solutions for Urban and Rural Communities in Peel Region
The Solutions Lab will examine the question: “How might we enable seniors from diverse backgrounds living in urban and rural settings and system stakeholders to participate in a design process that increases the suite of innovative and diverse affordable housing options available to seniors that promote community inclusion and proactive responses to affordability issues?”
 
Let’s Talk… Home and Community
The Solutions Lab will examine the Question: How might we promote social and economic inclusion through a housing model with individuals with developmental disabilities and newcomers to Canada by leveraging existing community assets and hosting conversations for each group to co-design “good community”?
 
Accessing Affordable Home Ownership Opportunities for Community Housing Tenants
The Solutions Lab will examine opportunities to maximize the movement into and out of Community Housing in the Waterloo Region.
 
From Prison to Homelessness: Ending a Perilous Trajectory
The Solutions Lab will examine how we can help increase the availability and access to suitable housing for Canadians who leave the prison system, while also providing opportunities for offenders to gain employment skills training to improve their opportunities of finding meaningful employment.
 
Addressing Family Homelessness at the Neighbourhood Level
The Solutions Lab will examine scalable, neighbourhood-level solutions to the problem of homeless families (parents and children), and the overwhelmed emergency shelter system.
 
Seniors and Inter-generational Purpose-Driven Housing Solutions
The Solutions Lab will examine purpose driven housing solutions that facilitate social inclusion, education and community collaboration for seniors and newcomers.
 
Affordable Housing Hackathon Solutions Lab
The Solutions Lab will examine new and practical solutions to the construction of more affordable housing stock by removing barriers and opening new paths for innovation in planning, construction and regulation so that private industry and the not-for-profit industry can meet the needs of the community.
 
Beyond Shelter: A Relationship-Based Approach to Emergency Housing and Health Care
The Solutions Lab will examine the question: How might we bring together health care and housing supports in a responsive and relationship-based way that helps more people in Waterloo Region transition out of homelessness?
 
Community Studios
The Solutions Lab will examine the creation of a new model of supportive and shared modular housing.
 
Affordable housing and sustainable development, two compatible ideas
The Solutions Lab will examine the need for an innovative approach to address affordability issues related to sustainable community development.
 
Housing Financialization (Directed Solutions Lab)
In partnership with the Social Innovation Institute, this directed Solutions Lab will explore the financialization of housing.
 
The Missing Middle Housing Delivery Solutions Lab (Directed Solutions Lab)
The Solutions Lab will explore how to bring missing middle housing models to Toronto’s Yellow Belt that will also be applicable to other municipalities in Canada.
 

2018 Funded Projects

Developing Appropriate First Nations Housing Metrics: Nishnawbe Aski Nation
The Solutions Lab aims to create housing measures for local housing programs rooted in northern Indigenous knowledge and experience.
 
Affordable Housing Renewal
The Solutions Lab will develop net zero or net-zero ready retrofit design options and prototype 4 to 6 low-rise wood-frame multi-unit residential buildings.
 
Journeys In and Out: Youth Homelessness Solutions Lab
The Solutions Lab is mapping youths’ journeys in and out of homelessness to identify solutions to support youth along their journey to find a home.
 
Retrofits in Occupied Residential Buildings
The Solutions Lab will bring together key players to identify and co-create solutions for energy retrofits in occupied multi-unit residential buildings.
 
Affordable Transit-Oriented Development (TOD): Leveraging Government Assets for Affordable Housing
The Solutions Lab will examine solutions to lever and align municipal, provincial and federal government resources to increase affordable housing opportunities along transit corridors.
 
Modelling Transitional Housing for Vulnerable Youth
The Solutions Lab will develop transformative, transitional housing designs that meet the needs of vulnerable homeless youth at a time when they are most at risk.
 
Seniors Housing Stability Solutions Lab: Creating Stability for Seniors who rent using a community-based approach
The Solutions Lab will develop solutions to enable low-income senior renters to “age in the right place” successfully, and even thrive.
 
Developing the Resiliency of Affordable Housing for Newcomers
The Solutions Lab will identify environmentally sustainable solutions to improve and maintain access to quality housing for newcomers.
 
Exploring the RDSP for Homeownership and Housing Stability
The Solutions Lab will explore how Registered Disability Savings Plans (RDSPs) can help address the housing challenges of people with developmental disabilities.
 
Housing Solutions for Indigenous Youth Aging Out of Care in Winnipeg
The Solutions Lab will address the issues of housing insecurity and homelessness that Indigenous youth face when they age out of the child welfare system.
 
Best Practices for Healthy Housing Quality in Toronto
The Solutions Lab will seek to address housing disrepair and the worsening quality of housing in older rental apartment buildings in Toronto.
 
Wealth and the Problem of Inequity Across Generations (Directed Solutions Lab)
In partnership with Generation Squeeze, this directed Solutions Lab will examine issues related to housing affordability, wealth and inequality.

Still have questions about the National Housing Strategy’s Solutions Labs Program or need technical support?

1-800-668-2642

Innovation-Research@cmhc-schl.gc.ca

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Date Published: March 5, 2025

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