SHB expands to help renters afford housing

Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home.

Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, and the Honourable Gene Makowsky, Minister of Social Services and Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Housing Corporation (SHC), announced an expansion to the Saskatchewan Housing Benefit (SHB) program, so more households can receive the benefit which supports people with low income in better affording their rent.

As of June 1, 2022, eligible renters who pay 35 per cent or more of their pre-tax household income on rent and utilities can receive the monthly benefit. Benefit amounts are based on household size and how much income is paid towards shelter costs.

The amount of the monthly benefit has also been increased by $25 for households that spend between 35 to 45 per cent of their income on shelter, and by $75 for households that pay more than 45 per cent of their income on shelter. For example, a single person or couple living with a dependent who spends 35 per cent of their income on shelter will now receive $225 a month, while a single person or couple with two or more dependents who spends more than 45 per cent of their income on shelter will now receive $325 a month.

In addition, the asset eligibility limit has increased to $300,000 and the previous rent limits have been removed.

The Saskatchewan Housing Benefit was co-developed and jointly funded by the federal and provincial government through the National Housing Strategy, with up to $11.5 million in 2022 – 23.

For more information or to apply for the Saskatchewan Housing Benefit, visit: www.saskatchewan.ca/residents/housing-and-renting/renting-and-leasing/saskatchewan-housing-benefit.

Quotes:

“Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. To respond to increased cost of living, we are expanding the Saskatchewan Housing Benefit to help ensure that hard working Saskatchewan families and individuals in need don’t get left behind. This is just one of the many ways we are tackling the housing crisis to ensure that more people have access to safe and affordable housing that meets their need. This is the National Housing Strategy at work.”

“The Saskatchewan Housing Benefit has been expanded to help even more people better afford their rent and provides a larger benefit to help with increased costs. I encourage Saskatchewan renters to apply for the Saskatchewan Housing Benefit as it provides them with financial help so they can better afford their rent and utilities.”

Quick facts:

• The Saskatchewan Housing Benefit (SHB) is funded by the federal and provincial governments through the Canada Housing Benefit initiative of the National Housing Strategy. The federal contribution to the SHB is cost-matched by the province.
• The SHB is a portable benefit. This means that recipients remain eligible for the benefit if they move between community housing or private rentals, as long as housing costs are 35 per cent or more of their income.
• The Saskatchewan Housing Benefit funding initiative was announced as part of the National Housing Strategy to fund portable housing benefits across Canada.
• Canada’s National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year, $72+ billion plan that will give more Canadians a place to call home.

Related links:

As Canada's authority on housing, CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need, and offers unbiased housing research and advice to all levels of Canadian government, consumers and the housing industry. CMHC’s aim is that by 2030, everyone in Canada has a home they can afford, and that meets their needs. For more information, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.

To find out more about the National Housing Strategy, visit: www.placetocallhome.ca.

Under the Canada-Saskatchewan Bilateral Agreement, housing is a key priority in providing a better quality of life for Saskatchewan families and communities. Since 2007, the Government of Saskatchewan, through SHC, has invested $786 million to develop more than 12,000 housing units and repair nearly 5,500 homes. SHC has also invested more than $61 million to build nearly 300 units in residential care homes, and $430 million to improve provincially-owned housing. To learn more, visit www.saskatchewan.ca.

For information on this release:

Arevig Afarian
Office of the Minister for Housing and Diversity and Inclusion
arevig.afarian@infc.gc.ca

Media Relations
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
media@cmhc-schl.gc.ca

Leya Moore
Saskatchewan Ministry of Social Services
306-787-3610
leya.moore@gov.sk.ca