Level-Up: Transforming the Way Canada Delivers Housing 

Lengthy development timelines, connected to various issues, inflate housing costs.

Level-Up is addressing the entrenched housing affordability crisis in Canada. To increase housing productivity, we must transform the housing sector to meet the nation's housing needs more swiftly and cost-effectively.

Level-Up’s goal is to scale system-level solutions like skill enhancement, automation and streamlined supply chains to expedite housing provision. Successful solutions will lead to quicker development, reduced costs and permanent improvements in Canada's housing delivery process.

Level-Up offers a dedicated stream for Community Housing Innovators and a general stream for All Housing Innovators.

Applicants in the Housing Supply Challenge will be evaluated by an expert Challenge Jury based on the following criteria:

• Increased housing: What is the potential of your solution to impact housing supply?
• Increased speed: How does your solution reliably impact development timelines?
• Innovation: How is your solution an improvement upon conventional approaches?
• Adoption: How will you get your solution into the hands of more housing providers?
• Economies of scale: How will scaling impact the cost-per-use of your solution to housing providers?
• Sector mobilization: How are you developing partnerships to increase impact?

Both streams will be assessed independently to account for the different barriers and opportunities facing them.

Level-Up has 3 stages. Advancement through the stages will be based on the applicant’s:

1. potential and demonstrated ability to produce the outcomes of more housing
2. faster development timelines
3. economies of scale for their solution

Stage 1 – Elevating Foundational Solutions (Launch & Intake)

Applications Due December 18, 2023

Innovators must prove that their solutions can lead to more housing, faster. Up to 20 foundational solutions will receive a $1,000,000 prize.

Stage 2 – Achieving Next Level Impact and Adoption

Starting March 2024

Innovators must prove that they have achieved buy-in and adoption from housing providers and they have a strategy to scale. Up to 10 next level solutions will receive a $3,000,000 prize.

Stage 3 – Changing the System

Starting Fall 2024

Innovators must prove that their solution is a game-changer for the housing system. These solutions have proven to be the most reliable, most cost-effective avenues in the Challenge to generate significantly more housing, significantly faster.

Up to 3 game-changer solutions will receive a $5,000,000 prize.

To amplify and sustain the impact of the Level-Up Round, CMHC is running a separate application process for “Scaling Hubs.”

These hubs are intended to be a consortium of talent that offers custom support in-person and remotely across Canada. The Scaling Hubs will run in parallel to the Level-Up Challenge and will provide a range of non-financial supports to Level-Up Innovators. Organizations with a track record of providing effective mentorship and programming for growth-stage innovators are encouraged to apply.