Far too many Canadians are struggling to find homes they can afford. Solving Canada's housing crisis requires immediate action to bring down costs, cut red tape, and build homes more quickly.
Central to that plan is building - major infrastructure, more homes, and strong communities. To that end, the Government of Canada launched Build Canada Homes, the federal government's one-stop shop for affordable housing, which will build affordable housing at scale, including transitional and supportive housing, deeply affordable and community housing, and affordable homes for the Canadian middle class. Build Canada Homes is responding to the housing challenges Canadians are facing with bold action.
Today, the Government of Canada and the Province of Nova Scotia announced a collaborative partnership to accelerate the development of housing across the province, to unlock an additional 1,430 new affordable homes. This collaborative partnership includes a joint commitment of up to $300 million, including operating funds for supportive and transitional units.
Under this collaboration, 500 units of non-profit and community housing will be jointly financed from the Province of Nova Scotia's housing pipeline, with shovels in the ground within the next 12 months. The units will be affordable for low to moderate and median-income households and their affordability will be guaranteed for the long-term.
The partnership also includes close coordination at Shannon Park, a large, multi-phase redevelopment in Dartmouth delivering mixed-market homes, including public, supportive, and affordable housing.
In the first phase, a dedicated parcel has been earmarked for a Build Canada Homes Direct Build project, supporting up to 630 mixed-market homes. The plan is to deliver a minimum of 40% of homes below-market value that will be affordable to households with moderate and median incomes.
The joint investment will also make possible an additional 300 homes to be developed on the provincial portion of the site and will include supportive and/or transitional units as well as public housing units. Provincial funding and partnerships will ensure the affordability of these public housing units for the long term. These deeply affordable homes are possible because of strong partnerships with provinces and territories to ensure affordability is sustained for those who need it most.
Halifax Regional Municipality, working with Build Canada Homes and the Province of Nova Scotia, will support efforts to fast-track the development approval processes. Subject to Council approval, the Municipality will reduce or waive municipal development fees, provide relief from property taxes or provide other grant offerings in support of a 930 unit affordable housing project to be built on federal and provincial lands in Shannon Park.
The project will prioritize the use of modern methods of construction, such as factory-built housing, prefab, modular and mass timber construction to speed up delivery and reduce environmental impact. Build Canada Homes will launch a Requests for Qualifications (RFQ) for the development of its Shannon Park parcel in the coming days. RFQ responses will be accepted until February 9, 2026.
