Ten demonstration projects — innovative affordable housing solutions

Ottawa, Ontario, April 9, 2021

Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. That is why the Government of Canada is helping to foster innovation by highlighting innovative solutions aiming to improve the performance, viability and effectiveness of affordable housing.

Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), is pleased to announce up to $250,000 in funding for each selected project under the National Housing Strategy (NHS) Demonstrations Initiative.

The NHS Demonstrations Initiative showcases forward-looking technologies, practices, programs, policies and strategies to spur the future of housing in Canada. It focuses on projects that support the National Housing Strategy priority areas and population groups.

These solutions will support a culture of innovation by fostering partnerships, replication as well as creating and disseminating real-world data for evidence-based decision-making.

Find out more about the NHS Demonstrations Initiative.

Quote:

“Every Canadian deserves a home that meets their needs and they can afford. Increasing the supply of housing requires innovative and disruptive thinking. The NHS Demonstrations Initiative showcases the best new ideas ensuring that these can be repeated and scaled across Canada. Congratulations to all the recipients!”
— The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

Quick facts:

Funding for demonstrations is available to those who wish to address housing related issues identified under the NHS’ priority areas.
The NHS Demonstrations Initiative competitive open-call process occurs annually. The next one will be held in June 2021.
Experts interested in acting as reviewers are invited to manifest their interest by writing to Innovation-Research@cmhc-schl.gc.ca.
The NHS includes $241 million over 10 years to support research on housing needs and conditions, the housing finance system, market stability and housing sector innovation.
Canada's National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year, $70+ billion plan that will give more Canadians a place to call home — this includes more than $13 billion committed through the 2020 Fall Economic Statement.

Associated 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. For more information, follow us on Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

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

Information on this release:

Mikaela Harrison
Office of the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Families, Children and Social Development
mikaela.harrison@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

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

Backgrounder: Successful submissions, 2020 NHS Demonstrations Initiative

Find further details on the projects.

Project Title and Short Description	Lead organization and collaborators	Requested CMHC funding	Project localization
*Hey Neighbour Collective: Social sustainability innovations for affordable multi-unit rental housing*	Simon Fraser University (Morris J Wosk Centre for Dialogue) Brightside Community Homes Foundation Catalyst Community Developments Society Building Resilient Neighbourhoods West End Seniors Network Happy City Concert Properties BC Non-Profit Housing Association LandlordBC	$232,250	Vancouver, Victoria and Penticton, BC
*SAFERhome Universal Design Affordable Housing Demonstration*	SAFERhome Standards Society Bonailie Homes NEXII Building Solutions Seyem’ and Kwantlen First Nation	$227,500	Maple Ridge, B.C.
*Scalable, Sustainable Companion Housing Model for Vulnerable Populations*	Happipad Technologies Inc. Affordable Housing: Vancouver Island Society (AHVIS) Home Together Hornby and Denman Community Health Care Society OneSky Community Resources Chilliwack Community Services Alberta Seniors & Communities Housing Association West End Seniors Network Seniors Outreach Services Society Robson Valley Support Society Alberta Council on Aging DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society Seniors Come Share Society	$250,000	Kelowna, BC
*Automatic Fire Suppression System Demonstration to Protect Homes in Indigenous Communities*	Planet Halo Security Inc. Guardian Fire Shield Yale First Nation	$143,500	Hope, BC
*The Vienna House Multi-unit Affordable Housing Demonstration Initiative*	BC Housing City of Vancouver Vancouver Affordable Housing Agency City of Vienna More Than a Roof Housing Society	$250,000	Vancouver, BC
*A Toolkit for Affordability Driven Home Energy Efficiency Retrofits Through Local Improvement Charge Programs*	Volta Research Inc. City of Toronto Dr. Runa Das, faculty of Royal Roads University Building Knowledge Canada Inc. Halifax Regional Municipality Hero Engineering Inc. Indwell Community Homes	$200,000	Toronto, ON
*Implementing the Right to Housing in the Supportive Housing Sector*	Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation in Ontario Dixon Hall Mainstay Housing	$249,821	Toronto, ON
*The Shift: Supporting Human-Rights Based Housing Strategies*	The Shift Canadian Urban Institute McConnell Foundation City of Kitchener, ON City of Toronto, ON City of Yellowknife, NT	$250,000	National
*Collaborative Innovative Partnerships for Financing Affordable Housing Projects*	Horizon Housing Society Forward Housing Silvera for Seniors Trinity Place Accessible Housing Bespoke Non-Profit Solutions	$250,000	Calgary, AB — with national dissemination
*Regent Park World Urban Pavilion by UN-Habitat*	United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) Urban Economy Forum (UEF) The Daniels Corporation CMHC	The Government of Canada, through Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, will contribute $1 million for the construction of the Regent Park World Urban Pavilion by UN-Habitat and $1.25 million for five years of programming ($250K per year) through the National Housing Strategy.	Toronto, ON, National International