Winnipeg, MB – The Government of Canada and the City of Winnipeg announced today that they have reached an agreement, under the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), to provide over $122 million in funding for new housing in Winnipeg. This funding is expected to fast track the development of over 3,100 new housing units over the next three years, including over 900 affordable housing units. The agreement was announced today by Mayor Scott Gilingham and Honourable Dan Vandal, Canadian Minister of Northern Affairs, Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada, Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency and Member of Parliament for Saint Boniface-Saint Vital.
The funding being provided under HAF will support seven specific housing initiatives intended to modernize zoning rules, increase density near major transit and transportation routes, and incentivize the construction of more housing, with a focus on affordable housing and projects to help residents experiencing homelessness.
The initiatives the City will be undertaking includes:
- Acceleration of amendments to zoning by-law and local area plans to permit increased housing units;
- Incentivizing multi-family housing developments in the downtown and along transit corridors;
- Creation of a land enhancement office to support development of affordable, supportive, and mixed-income housing on City-owned land;
- Creation of a concierge service to coordinate affordable housing requests and approvals for non-profit, Indigenous, and downtown developers;
- Enhance efforts to digitize and facilitate faster development and permit approvals; and,
- Establish an infrastructure support program to improve local area servicing and increase residential development.
“By building more affordable homes more quickly, our government is unlocking new opportunities for growth in Winnipeg,” said Honourable Dan Vandal. “Working together, we can equip our communities with new tools to support them to reach their potential and turn possibilities into realities.”
“This is a huge investment in building more homes, and especially more affordable homes, for our growing city,” said Mayor Scott Gillingham. “Together, we're creating the Winnipeg of the future – a thriving community where everyone has access to a home they can afford. This is key to making sure we remain one of the most liveable cities in Canada.”
The City will set up a program team to design and execute each of these initiatives and will report back to Council with the proposed HAF implementation plan in 2024. Timelines for each initiative will vary, but it’s expected that they will be able to support the City’s goal of over 3,100 additional housing units over the next three years.