Funding Opportunities from Coast to Coast to Coast

Build Canada Homes is a new federal agency that will build affordable housing at scale. It will leverage public lands, offer flexible financial incentives, attract private capital, facilitate large portfolio projects, and support modern manufacturers to build the homes that Canadians need.
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We will focus primarily on non-market housing, supporting a mix of income needs as part of a national effort to double housing construction, restore affordability, and reduce homelessness.

We will work with provinces, territories, municipalities, and Indigenous communities to help fight homelessness by building transitional and supportive housing.

We will grow the supply of affordable and community housing led by mission-driven organizations whose core purpose is to advance social, community, or equity-focussed goals. These include, but are not limited to, non-profits, co-operatives, Indigenous housing providers, and organizations supporting women, people with disabilities, newcomers, and those in need of supportive and transitional housing.

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The Reaching Home initiative offers two distinct but complementary funding streams to support First Nations governments in British Columbia in addressing homelessness and housing insecurity within their communities. Each stream is tailored to meet different aspects of housing needs, from infrastructure development to direct support services and strategic planning. The streams are housing supports and research and planning.

The URN Indigenous Housing Program provides capital funding to support First Nations governments and bands with off-reserve members create safe, culturally grounded, and affordable housing.

Funding is available for new builds, renovations, planning, land acquisition, and culturally significant spaces that help Indigenous communities secure stable housing for priority populations like Elders, youth, women, and families. Prioritizing support for those with the greatest needs can help reduce the housing disparity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, while also fostering stronger, more resilient communities.

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AICEI helps First Nations and Métis communities get the most out of their investments in clean energy projects.

We’re open to discussions at any stage. Depending on where your project is at, we can help you:

• identify your community’s priorities;
• explore potential opportunities and partnerships;
• develop your capacity to lead clean energy projects;
• see your projects through to completion;
• provide funding to support your project;
• identify other funding sources that are a better fit.

Initiatives may include: Renewable Energy Generation, Capacity Building, Energy Efficiency Improvement, Project Development Supports

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This funding program provides financial support to Indigenous Governing Bodies (IGBs) for residential energy efficiency initiatives and related project management activities. Funding is available in ranges under $100,000 and from $100,000 to $1,000,000, depending on project scope.

Eligible supports include:

• Energy Assessment Funding – Up to $500 per home for energy or building condition assessments that include energy efficiency and climate components, plus 10% additional funding for project management.
• Energy Efficiency Retrofit Incentives – Financial incentives for energy-efficient upgrades in existing homes, with additional 10% project management funding to support staffing or external consultants.
• Heating System Maintenance Rebates – Up to $200 per heating system, per home annually for maintenance or filter replacements.
• Basic Energy Saving Measures – Free energy-saving products, along with salary funding and training to implement basic upgrades in community homes.

Funding caps include up to $400,000 per project application (including eligible project management funding), and up to $1,000,000 every two years per participant. Project management funding is calculated at 10% of total eligible incentive funding.

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CHIF aims to accelerate the construction and upgrading of housing-enabling drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and solid-waste infrastructure, directly supporting the creation of new homes and increasing densification.

Eligible projects include the construction of:

• New community and affordable housing
• Mixed use market/affordable rental
• Conversion from a non-residential use to affordable residential
• Shelters
• Transitional and supportive housing

To be eligible your project:

• Must have a minimum of 5 units/beds
• Must have residential as its primary use

Your projects must have support* from another level of government such as:‍

• A municipality
• A province or territory

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The Rapid Housing Sub-Stream supports the construction of shelters, transitional and supportive housing for those in greatest need.

Eligible projects for addressing urgent community needs and building long-term resilience include providing training and financial support for emergency health care, transportation services, and community safety initiatives. Additionally, projects may focus on sustainable food security and sovereignty, overcoming technological barriers for connectivity, innovation in employment and experiential learning, ensuring access to mental and cultural wellness supports, implementing innovative techniques for Elders and Healers, filling funding gaps for specific programs, and providing operating funds for Indigenous-led organizations to ensure sustainability of community-level support. These projects should aim to address immediate needs while fostering resilience for the future.

The Sustainable Communities program funds or co-funds a wide range of projects and programs to support action on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The goal of these initiatives is to inform and inspire leadership on energy efficiency, energy literacy, and low carbon electrification.

The evaluation scorecard specifically examines how each program supports the following indicators:

Energy Transition: Project or initiative has a direct focus on renewable/alternative energy sources, energy efficiency and/or energy technology that will have a positive impact on their energy use towards a more sustainable future.

Community Impact: Project provides a positive impact to the broader community and exemplifies the organization's goal for a more sustainable future.

Innovation: Project is a new idea or a novel approach to an existing one.

Evaluation & Metrics: Ability to track and report on their energy conservation, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and/or provide metrics on a successful outcome of their initiative.

For school programs, we also take into consideration:

Student Leadership & Education: Project provides multiple opportunities for student involvement in setting project direction or input to the outcomes or activities as appropriate for their age, and an opportunity to learn about the need for a more sustainable future through better energy solutions.

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CMHC's Seed Funding program provides financial support for individuals or organizations involved in the initial phases of creating an affordable housing project. You can apply for up to $350,000 in interest-free loans and a maximum of $150,000 of non-repayable contributions to assist with early development expenses. These expenses can include things like the formulation of a business plan, creation of preliminary design concepts and conducting environmental site assessments.

Local Projects Objectives:

• Promote housing initiatives for Indigenous communities
• Leverage existing fundsSupport the sector in reducing its environmental footprint
• Develop tools that are accessible to all
• Support sector consolidation and partnerships of all kinds
• Reinforce organizational capacityEnhance the sector’s adaptive capacityIdentify and address sectoral gaps in the provision of housing services
• Mobilize communities                                                                                                                          

Sectoral Impact Projects Objectives:

• Promote housing initiatives in Indigenous communities
• Leverage existing fundsEngage the sector in reducing its environmental footprint
• Develop tools that are accessible to allSupport sector consolidation and partnerships of all kinds
• Build organizational capacityEnhance the sector’s adaptive capacityIdentify and address sectoral gaps in housing service provision
• Mobilize the community                                                                                                              

Funding Note:  Proposals are evaluated according to two categories: projects up to and under $50,000 and projects over $50,000.

Applications to the Sector Transformation Fund: Local Projects are limited to $150,000. Please inquire about multiple intake dates.

Funding for major repairs, emergency repairs and adaptations to improve the health and safety of on-reserve housing. The On-Reserve Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program is a streamlined initiative improving support for First Nations' repairs and adaptations. It consolidates previous on-reserve repairs and adaptations programs, excluding the Shelter Enhancement Program – Renovation Stream, to simplify funding access and offer flexibility in housing management.

Enhanced Funding:

• If your property is located on-reserve in northern or remote areas or if the project includes accessibility work for Persons with Disabilities or minor adaptations for Seniors, the maximum funding amount may be increased by 25%.

Contribution-Based Funding:

• The financial support is provided in the form of a contribution. This means that the funds do not need to be repaid.

To support First Nation communities by providing financial assistance to build affordable rental housing on-reserve. Apply for subsidies and loans to help construct, purchase and rehabilitate, as well as manage non-profit housing in your community.

Funding for the proposal stage of your on-reserve housing project. Writing a proposal is one of the first steps of any housing project. First Nation communities can apply for funding to help them develop the proposal needed to enter our Non-Profit Housing Program. This is an Interest-free, repayable loan. You may also qualify for additional funding depending on the size of your project.

The Project Development Fund (PDF) provides financing for eligible groups who have an affordable housing proposal but need additional financial support to advance their project to prepare a more fully formed and competitive proposal. This financing is intended to support eligible groups in responding to future BC Housing programs funded under Building BC.  Those eligible for a PDF loan can access up to a maximum of $250,000 in support. A PDF loan is intended to help partners develop comprehensive proposals (including the necessary due diligence, feasibility analyses and design specifications) for new affordable housing projects.

The Professional and Institutional Development Program funds projects that develop the capacity of communities to perform 10 core functions of governance, including:

• Leadership
• Membership
• Law-making
• Community involvement
• External relations
• Planning and risk management
• Financial management
• Human resources management
• Information management and information technology
• Basic administration

Preservation Funding provides financial assistance to support the cost of completing preservation activities. This funding helps:

• Existing community housing providers remain viable and prepare for future funding opportunities

Preservation Funding is open to:

• Projects that are currently subject to an active, eligible federally administered operating agreement.
• Projects that were previously subject to a federally administered operating agreement that have since expired.

This includes projects previously administered under a federally administered operating agreement that were transferred under a Social Housing Agreement which have since expired. Funding may be increased to $75,000 on a case-by-case basis.

Vancity supports projects that help non-profit housing providers and housing co-operatives put their buildings on a pathway to net-zero and climate resilience — toward buildings that emit no greenhouse gases and better withstand the negative effects of a changing climate, ensuring occupant comfort and health are maintained.‍Non-profit housing providers, and organizations that support them, can apply for a grant to enable climate-friendly retrofits. Vancity offers two types of grants based on your project phase: planning grants, and capital and implementation support grants. Applicants are welcome to apply for both.