CIP welcomes the significant housing investments to help alleviate the housing crisis, as announced in the 2024 federal budget, by allocating $8.5 billion in new spending on housing –16% of the total budget. These funds will build on the government’s current initiatives, including the Housing Accelerator Fund, and will result in the creation of new programs and fiscal measures to address the serious housing affordability and supply concerns across the country.
In particular, we were very pleased to see the following four budget priorities that CIP has been—and will continue to be—involved in, included in the budget:
New Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund
With $6 billion committed over 10 years for both urgent housing infrastructure needs and long-term agreements with provinces and territories—if they align with density and process expediting measures—the recognition that infrastructure investments must be made to support new and existing housing is encouraging. CIP called for more infrastructure funding after the Fall Economic Statement, believing that this will help ensure that communities continue to thrive as they meet the demands for more housing and density.
Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF)
With $4 billion previously allocated to help municipalities speed up approval processes and build more homes faster, HAF is already assisting 179 municipalities, provinces, and territories with the projected construction of 750,000 homes over the next ten years. The addition of $400 million to this fund, as set out in the 2024 budget, will allow even more cities and communities to benefit from this federal funding. CIP has been working with Planning Directors from across the country to facilitate shared discussion and knowledge mobilization related to housing, and HAF and will provide further opportunities for these conversations at our national planning conference in Edmonton this July.
Housing Design Catalogue
With the reintroduction of a modernized housing design catalogue, similar to the post-war initiative to standardize the quick construction of homes, having pre-approved housing plans for varying scales and densities, and inclusive of modern construction methods such as modularization, the catalogue will increase the speed at which homes can be built across the country. Over the next year, $11.6 million has been allocated to support the development of the catalogue, which is set to include 50 housing designs. The first phase of the catalogue will be published this fall and CIP has been working with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) to help influence its development from a planning perspective, including participating in consultation meetings over the past months.
Modernizing Housing Data
The need for more and better data on housing and its related metrics is made clear in the 2024 budget, with $20 million to be provided to Statistics Canada and the CMHC to modernize both the collection and dissemination of data related to housing, such as municipal housing starts and completions. This will assist all levels of government, as well as housing-focused organizations, to have the data they need to address the housing emergency and identify potential solutions. CIP’s commitment to a data-driven approach has led to our partnership with Statistics Canada and the development of the Housing Data for Planners webinar series.
Canada’s urgent and complex housing situation requires creative, long-term solutions with cooperation from all levels of government. Planners are in a unique position to provide insights into these issues and to help increase the supply of safe, affordable, and diverse housing.
As the national association for professional planners, CIP is dedicated to working with decision-makers across the country to find innovative solutions to the housing crisis. We look forward to continuing housing discussions at our national planning conference in Edmonton this July.