Helping build more homes, faster in St. Catharines

St. Catharines, Ontario, January 17, 2024

With federal funding and federal leadership, we are changing how cities let housing get built in their municipalities. 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 St. Catharines announced that they reached an agreement to fast track almost 700 housing units over the next three years. This work will help spur the construction of more than 12,000 homes over the next decade.

The agreement under the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), will provide $25.7 million to eliminate barriers to building the housing we need, faster. St. Catharines’ Action Plan commits to seven local initiatives that enable a variety of housing forms and densities to meet the diverse needs of the community, such as permitting four units as-of-right to encourage the creation of additional housing units on existing residential lots. The funding will support incentive programs promoting multi-family homes downtown and on transit corridors, and the establishment of a land enhancement office that will work with partners to create homes and mixed-use developments on city-owned sites. It will also provide infrastructure support to increase the number of residential builds and also digitize and facilitate faster development and permit approvals.

HAF is helping cut red tape and fast track at least 100,000 permitted new homes over the first three years, which cities and regions estimate will lead to the creation of over 450,000 permitted new homes for people in towns, cities, and Indigenous communities across Canada over the next decade. 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 its work. It will continue to work with provincial, territorial, and municipal governments, as well as Indigenous partners, to keep building more homes for Canadians, faster.

Quotes:

“Today’s announcement will help fast track almost 700 homes in the next three years and more than 12,000 homes over the next decade. 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 government is proud to be working with the City of St. Catharines to ensure we are doing our part to fulfill the housing needs in our city and indeed across Canada. This funding of $25.7 million for housing in St. Catharines will accelerate the development of safe and affordable housing to meet the needs of our rapidly growing city where we need it most.”
— Chris Bittle, Member of Parliament for St. Catharines

“This is a huge investment in building more homes, and especially more affordable homes, for our growing city. Together, we’re creating the St. Catharines of the future — a thriving community where everyone has access to a home they can afford. This is key to making sure we remain one of the most livable cities in Canada.”
— Mat Siscoe, Mayor for the City of St. Catharines

Quick facts:

Today’s announcement was made by Chris Bittle, Member of Parliament for St. Catharines on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities and Mat Siscoe, Mayor of the City of St. Catharines.
The City of St. Catharines’ Action Plan focuses on affordability, suitability, a range of housing types and tenures, seniors, and a balanced approach that accommodates residents with different incomes and facilitates different kinds of homes. It also emphasizes incentive programs for affordable and multi-unit housing, the creation of a land enhancement office, and investments in transit infrastructure.
Launched in March 2023, the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) is a $4 billion initiative from the Government of Canada that will run until 2026 – 27.
The Housing Accelerator Fund is part of Canada’s National Housing Strategy (NHS), an $82+ billion plan to give more Canadians a place to call home. Progress on programs and initiatives are updated quarterly at www.placetocallhome.ca. The Housing Funding Initiatives Map shows affordable housing projects that have been developed.
As of September 30, 2023, the Government of Canada has committed over $38.89 billion to support the creation of over 151,803 units and the repair of over 241,133 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.

Additional information:

Information on this news release:

Micaal Ahmed
Office of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
micaal.ahmed@infc.gc.ca

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