Housing Support for Black Canadian Families

Ottawa, Ontario, December 17, 2020

Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. More than ever, we see the impacts of high housing need on Black families, whether that be via homeownership or via accessible and sustainable rental housing.

Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), Marci Ien, Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre, Evan Siddall, President and CEO of CMHC, and Julia Deans, President and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Canada, announced a new investment of $40 million to create 200 home ownership opportunities across the country for Black Canadians.

Habitat for Humanity homes will be energy-efficient and one in every five homes will be built to meet accessibility standards. This new funding is in addition to the $32.4 million partnership between the Government of Canada and Habitat for Humanity Canada to create up to 414 new homes across Canada.

In Canada, systemic racism and discrimination is a reality for Black Canadians. Global events during the pandemic have also shone a light on these realities as racialized Canadians face additional socio-economic barriers as a result of racism, particularly anti-Black racism.

CMHC continues to review its product development through a racialized lens and taking actions to eliminate biases. Other measures include potentially adjusting some underwriting standards for homebuyers, new flexibilities for BIPOC developers and tenant support measures.

This new funding builds on the Government of Canada’s work to address systemic racism against Black Canadians. This includes taking steps to advance Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy, justice reforms, and enhanced local community supports for young Black Canadians.

The Government of Canada will continue to support Black Canadian families so that they can recover from the impacts of COVID-19 and thrive in the months and years to come.

Quotes:

“The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated existing systemic barriers faced by Black Canadians. While we have made progress in advancing equitable access to support and opportunities, our Government knows that much more needs to be done. That’s why we are proud to be investing more than ever in Habitat for Humanity Canada, as we focus our efforts on helping Black families across the country. As we make our way through this second wave, we will make sure that no Canadian is left behind.”
— The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

“This is wonderful news for Black families all over Canada, including right here in Toronto. Having access to affordable homeownership will serve as a solid foundation for them to grow and prosper. When families have access to housing that meets their needs, we start to see the transformative effect this has on communities.”
— Marci Ien, Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre

“It is abundantly clear that racism is a system and not a behaviour. To that end, Canada’s housing system has unfortunately been racially motivated for far too long. CMHC is about equal access to housing affordability, and for us to achieve that aspiration we need to start taking concrete actions to support a portion of our population that has been victimized by this racist system for far too long.”
— Evan Siddall, President and CEO, CMHC

“Working with our government partners we continue to push innovative ways to build one of our strongest levers for a more equitable and prosperous society – a place to call home. Initiatives like this give families who have faced systemic barriers a better chance to build their lives and communities without the crushing burden of worrying about safe and affordable shelter”
— Julia Deans, CEO, Habitat for Humanity Canada

Quick facts:

This announcement adds to the Government of Canada and Habitat for Humanity Canada three-year, $32.4 million partnership, which is expected to create up to 414 new homes across the country.
According to Statistics Canada 2018 Canadian Housing Survey, there is a large proportion of BIPOC in core housing need.
The Government of Canada is currently rolling out its National Housing Strategy (NHS), an ambitious 10-year, $55-billion plan that will create 125,000 new housing units and lift 530,000 families out of housing need, as well as repair and renew more than 300,000 housing units.
The Government committed to eliminate chronic homelessness in its Speech From the Throne and proposed measures to increase funding through the NHS by more than $13 billion in the 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. 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.

The Habitat for Humanity model of affordable homeownership bridges a gap for people who face barriers to homeownership and would not otherwise qualify for a traditional mortgage. Local Habitat for Humanity organizations in every province and territory across Canada help build and rehabilitate decent and affordable homes, from single-family houses to multi-unit developments. With the help of volunteers and donors, Habitat helps families build their own homes and pay an affordable mortgage geared to their income. Safe, decent and affordable homeownership plays a critical role in helping families build a foundation for a life with better choices and more opportunities.