New Affordable Housing

In this section, you can:

1. Find the latest news and information about affordable housing.

2. Get the development resources you need and practical information about funding new development. 

    3.   Additional resources are available in our Member Resources Section.

    4.   Ontario's Long Term Affordable Housing Strategy (LTAHS)

History

In 1993, Canada cancelled its social housing program. In 1995, the Province of Ontario followed suit. Our federal and provincial governments were relying on the private market to meet the demand for new affordable housing. However, dramatic shortages of vacant rental housing grew along with the increasing homeless rate. By 2002, Canada was the only G-7 nation without a national, affordable housing strategy.

The federal and Ontario governments announced details of a new funding program for affordable housing on December 6th 2002. On February 26th 2004, the new McGuinty Government announced its approvals of approximately 2,300 units already recommended by municipalities in the fall of 2003 under the previous government’s guidelines (only $2,000 per unit from the Province).  The Federal Budget of June of 2005 included another $1.6 billion (nationally, over 2 years) for affordable housing.

In 2005, the Ontario Liberal government (elected in 2003) signed a new Federal/Provincial agreement and committed itself to match the $301 million in federal funding. The joint funding has resulted in 4 program components aimed at creating over 15,000 units of Affordable Housing: $80M for 5,000 rent supplement/housing allowances; $364M for 5,200 Rental and Supportive units; $30M for 1,500 Northern Housing units; and $36M for 4,500 Homeownership units.

The Rental and Supportive Component, which is of most interest to non-profit providers, allocated all units through 4 phases:

• Pilot Project
• Strong Start
• Wave 1
• Residual Unit Allocation

AHP Extension (2009) and the Social Housing Renovation and Retrofit Program (SHRRP)

In January 2009, the Federal government announced $620 million for social housing and an additional $620 million was committed by the Province in March. The combined $1.2 billion of funding will be invested over the next two years.

• $704 million to repair and renovate social housing units under the Social Housing Renovation and Retrofit Program (SHRRP).
• $540 million to extend the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program (AHP), known as the AHP Extension (2009).

Housing Initiatives

In the meantime, many non-profit housing providers are working hard to get housing developed through a variety of funding sources. This section includes:

• Check out the"Yes, in my Backyard" Tool Kit for handling NIMBY.
• Resources for non–profits interested in developing new affordable and supportive housing.
• Directory of funding sources that might be used to create non-profit housing in Ontario.
• Links to organizations that promote new affordable housing development.

 

Fight for more affordable housing
Housing initiatives
Development Organizations