Helping build more homes, faster in Calgary

Calgary, Alberta, November 14, 2023

With federal funding, and federal leadership we are changing how cities let housing get built in their communities. With a greater focus on higher density housing, student housing, homes near transit and affordable housing we are going to get more homes built for Canadians at prices they can afford.

Today, the Government of Canada and the City of Calgary announced that they have reached an agreement to fast track over 6,800 housing units over the next three years. This work will help spur the construction of more than 35,000 homes over the next decade.

The agreement, under the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) will provide over $228 million in funding to support seven initiatives that range from prioritized and accelerated approvals, to zoning bylaw amendments that allow for more missing middle rowhouses, townhouses and infill housing in established neighbourhoods, to inclusive and affordable housing development. Over the last two years the city of Calgary has seen a substantial increase in its housing growth and HAF’s investment is expecting to keep the trend alive.

HAF is helping cut red tape and fast track at least 100,000 new homes for people in towns, cities, and Indigenous communities across Canada. It asks for innovative action plans from local governments, and once approved, provides upfront funding to ensure the timely building of new homes, as well as additional funds upon delivering results. Local governments are encouraged to think big and be bold in their approaches, which could include accelerating project timelines, allowing increased housing density, and encouraging affordable housing units.

The Government of Canada is making life more affordable for Canadians — and housing is key to our work. We will continue to work with provincial, territorial, and municipal governments, as well as Indigenous partners, to keep building more homes for Canadians, faster.

Quotes:

“With federal funding, and federal leadership we are changing how cities let housing get built in their municipalities. Today’s announcement will help incentivize over 6,800 new housing permits for the city of Calgary. By working with cities, mayors and all levels of government we are helping to get more homes built for Canadians at prices they can afford.”
— The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

“Our federal government has been working with municipalities across the country to incentivize the construction of more housing. The City of Calgary has been a supportive partner in this important work, and our collaboration will continue to make housing more affordable in our city.”
— George Chahal, Member of Parliament for Calgary Skyview

“Just weeks ago, Calgary Council approved a Housing Strategy which outlines a clear path to address the urgent and growing housing needs in our city. This significant investment demonstrates our federal partners are eager to enable the city to partner with nonmarket and private developers to create new homes quickly.”
— Jyoti Gondek, Mayor of The City of Calgary

Quick facts:

Today’s announcement was made by the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, alongside George Chahal, Member of Parliament for Calgary Skyview and Jyoti Gondek, Mayor of the City of Calgary.
Through their Accelerating Housing in the Downtown initiative, the City of Calgary anticipates supporting 1,050 new units created by office space conversions in alignment with their Downtown Strategy and Plan.
Over the next three years, HAF will incentivize the creation 400 housing units on City-owned land in proximity to transit stations.
Other initiatives by the City of Calgary include:
- Streamlining Approvals
- Incentivizing Secondary Suites
- Promoting Missing Middle Land Use Districts, including the addition of a new Housing-Grade-Oriented (H-GO) District and exploring making changes to the Residential-Grade Oriented Infill (R-GC) District to allow for more flexibility and missing-middle options such as rowhouses and townhouses.
- Building Inclusive and Equitable Affordable Housing Programs
- Promoting Infill in Established Areas
Launched in March 2023, HAF is a $4 billion initiative from the Government of Canada that will run until 2026 – 27. The HAF is part of Canada’s National Housing Strategy (NHS), an $82+ billion plan that has already committed to the creation and repair of over 400,000 units. Progress on programs and initiatives under the NHS are updated quarterly at www.placetocallhome.ca. The Housing Funding Initiatives Map shows affordable housing projects that have been developed through the NHS.
Since the creation of the NHS, the Government of Canada has committed over $36.82 billion to support the creation of over 113,467 units and the repair of over 126,011 units. These measures prioritize those in greatest need, including seniors, Indigenous Peoples, people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and women and children fleeing violence.