WINNIPEG, MB, May 22, 2026 /CNW/ - Far too many Canadians are struggling to find homes they can afford, and rural communities face unique challenges. Solving Canada's housing crisis requires immediate action to bring down costs, cut red tape, and build homes more quickly. The Government of Canada is stepping up with a bold new approach to build affordable housing across the country.

Central to that work, the Government of Canada has launched Build Canada Homes, which is helping increase the pace of affordable homebuilding. Build Canada Homes is also helping fight homelessness by building transitional and supportive housing – working with provinces, territories, municipalities, and Indigenous communities. It is building deeply affordable and community housing for low-income households, and partnering with private market developers to build affordable homes for the Canadian middle class.

As part of the Government of Canada's broader efforts to respond to the housing crisis, investments are being made across the housing continuum to respond to the needs of communities across Canada.

Today, the federal government announced more than $47 million in funding to help build 133 secure, rental homes in Manitoba. The projects throughout the province include a wide range of housing including housing for seniors, transitional housing, and on-reserve housing.

An additional $20 million, from the Build Communities Strong Fund Direct Delivery stream will help York Factory First Nation replace its existing solid waste site with a new facility featuring engineered landfill cells, waste diversion zones, and closure and remediation of the current site. The project will help reduce methane emissions, protect land and groundwater, support the development of 250 housing units, create 25 jobs, and strengthen long-term public health and environmental protection for the community and surrounding northern communities. This funding will also support Tataskweyak Cree Nation to expand their existing waste disposal ground through the construction of a new engineered landfill with landfill cells and waste diversion areas to address current capacity constraints and future growth, enabling up to an additional 289 housing units.

The announcement was made by the Honourable Rebecca Chartrand, Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs and Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, on behalf of the Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada alongside Chief Leroy Constant of York Factory First Nation and Grand Chief Garrisson Settee of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO).

The Government of Canada is making the housing investments that will help strengthen Canadian supply chains and create good jobs at every step of the homebuilding process – helping to build more homes and a stronger Canadian economy at the same time.

Quotes:

"Today's announcement shows our government is committed to helping rural and northern communities across Manitoba build local solutions to housing needs and support our vulnerable neighbours. By investing in community capacity, we can ensure more of our neighbours have the safety and stability of a home. Having a safe place to call home supports better education and health outcomes, better employment prospects and better community engagement and cohesion, not to mention economic growth and financial security and I'm excited to announce so many innovative and locally-led projects." – The Honourable Rebecca Chartrand, Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs and Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, and Member of Parliament for Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, on behalf of the Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada 

"Solving the housing crisis faced by Indigenous people means building a continuum of safe, culturally grounded housing solutions—from shelters and transition homes to long‑term affordable housing. This work must be led by Indigenous groups who know best the needs of their community. Through this partnership, we are creating housing options where Indigenous women, children, and 2SLGBTQI+ people can access supports, rebuild their lives, and be met with dignity, respect, and care." – The Honourable Mandy Gull‑Masty, Minister of Indigenous Services

Quick Facts:

• The Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) provided funding through low-interest and/or forgivable loans or contributions to partnered organizations for new affordable housing and the renovation and repair of existing, affordable and community housing. This was a $16.1 billion program under the National Housing Strategy (NHS) that gave priority to projects that help people who need it most, including women and children fleeing family violence, seniors, Indigenous Peoples, people living with disabilities, those with mental health or addiction issues, Veterans, and young adults. The application portal for AHF is now closed as all funding has been committed.
  • As of December 2025, the Government of Canada has committed $14.44 billion to support the creation of over 56,900 units and the repair of over 174,700 units through the Affordable Housing Fund.
  • On September 19, 2025, the Government of Canada announced $1.5 billion top-up in loans for the AHF's New Construction Stream, to support the creation of over 5,000 new units starting in 2025-26. Additionally, the AHF's Rapid Housing Sub-Stream will be accelerated, by pulling $385 million in funding from future years. 
• The $724.1 million Indigenous Shelter and Transitional Housing Initiative was launched in November 2021 to support the construction of additional shelters and transitional homes for Indigenous women, children, and 2SLGBTQQI+ individuals fleeing gender-based violence, including in urban areas and in the North. The program is now closed.
• The Build Communities Strong Fund (BCSF) will invest in a wide range of infrastructure projects that support economic prosperity, housing, education, health, transit, and climate adaptation.
  • It will provide $51 billion over 10 years, starting in 2026-27, and $3 billion per year ongoing, to support new and renewed public infrastructure.Starting in 2026-27, the Build Communities Strong Fund will deliver funding through three major streams:
  • A Provincial and Territorial stream, which provides $17.2 billion over 10 years, including $5 billion in health infrastructure funding over three years;
  • A Direct Delivery stream, which provides $6 billion over 10 years; and,
  • A Community stream (formerly the Canada Community-Building Fund), which provides $27.8 billion over 10 years and, indexed at 2% to deliver $3 billion per year
• Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy was launched in April 2019 as part of the National Housing Strategy. The program supports the prevention and reduction of homelessness, including chronic homelessness. The Government of Canada works with communities to develop and deliver projects to address community priorities with clear outcomes.
  • Reaching Home keeps the decision-making at the local level and gives communities greater flexibility to address local priorities and deliver programming designed to meet the needs of specific populations, including: seniors, youth, women and children fleeing violence, people with disabilities and 2SLGBTQI+ people.
  • The program also makes funding available to Indigenous partners to support distinctions-based approaches to homelessness services, as well as funding to develop innovative approaches.
  • The federal government is investing $5 billion over nine years, from 2019-20 to 2027-28, to address homelessness through Reaching Home.
  • Through Budget 2024, $50 million is invested to accelerate community-level reductions in homelessness through the Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund. This will support communities as they adopt best practices and lessons learned from other jurisdictions to reduce the time it takes to move individuals and families into more stable housing.
  • On September 14, 2025, Build Canada Homes was launched as a Special Operating Agency within Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC) to increase the supply of affordable housing. In the new year, Build Canada Homes will evolve into a standalone federal entity reporting to the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure. 
• Funding provided for the projects is as follows:

Additional Information:

• Visit canada.ca/housing for the most-requested Government of Canada housing information. 
• Build Canada Homes is ready to partner with organizations committed to increasing the supply of affordable housing across Canada. Learn more about the portal and the Investment Policy Framework.
• CMHC plays a critical role as a national convenor to promote stability and sustainability in Canada's housing finance system. CMHC's mortgage insurance products support access to home ownership and the creation and maintenance of rental supply. CMHC research and data help inform housing policy. By facilitating cooperation between all levels of government, private and non-profit sectors, CMHC contributes to advancing housing affordability, equity, and climate compatibility. CMHC actively supports the Government of Canada in delivering on its commitment to make housing more affordable.

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• Build Communities Strong Fund
• Prime Minister Carney launches the Build Communities Strong Fund and announces the first tranche of projects
• Prime Minister Carney shares Budget 2025 plan to build communities strong\Canada's Housing Plan

• Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada - Build Communities Strong Fund
• Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy
• Canada's National Housing Strategy
• Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada - Funding Delivered under the Investing in Canada Plan

SOURCE Government of Canada