CHRA’s submission to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities (HUMA) re: Bill C-20: Build Canada Homes Act

Press Release

April 30, 2026

Bill C-20 gives Build Canada Homes a mandate to build affordable housing. CHRA strongly supports this ambition, but we want to be clear: this must prioritize non-market community housing. Without intentional focus, the pressures of scale and speed can push investment toward easier market-based options, which do not provide the long-term truly affordable homes that low- and moderate-income Canadians need most.

Non-market community housing providers are mission-driven professionals that operate nonprofit, public, and co-operative community housing. With a proven track record of building and operating homes for those who need them most, their business models offer far stronger guarantees of long-term affordability than market alternatives.

Our recommendations:

1. Prioritize Specifically Non-Market Housing
2. Adopt Clear Targets for Build Canada Homes
3. Prioritize For-Indigenous, By-Indigenous Housing Providers
4. Maintain and Protect the Flexibility of BCH’s Lending Authorities
5. Provide Predictable, Stable, and Long-Term Sources of Funding and Financing

Read our submission to learn more.

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