Canada's social housing demand outpaces supply as over 300,000 households await units, RBC says

By Public Technologies
  • Canada should tie social housing affordability to assets rather than mortgages, with long-term operating support to preserve affordable rents.
  • More than 300,000 households need social housing, up 22% since 2018; average waits exceed four years.
  • The federal government's $13 billion Build Canada Homes initiative targets at least 26,000 units over five years.
  • About 45% of social housing built before 1980 is in fair or poor condition, underscoring substantial maintenance needs.
  • A sector-governed national building fund could channel providers' surpluses toward repair backlogs, supported by operating subsidies covering full costs and reserves.


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