New report from the National Housing Council calls for Canada to double its non-market housing

OTTAWA, ON, March 10, 2025 /CNW/ - The National Housing Council (NHC) has released a new report entitled Scaling-Up the Non-Market Housing Sector in Canada. 

The report was submitted to the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities and underscores the need for a larger non-market housing sector to tackle Canada's housing crisis and restore affordability. 

Non-market housing refers to permanent, rental housing owned and managed by a non-profit organisation, a co-operative, an URN (Urban, Rural, Northern) Indigenous provider or a municipal or provincial government. As well as more affordable rents and a lower cost of living, non-market housing has been shown to drive improvements in employment, health, education and productivity. 

The report calls for Canada to at least double its stock of non-market housing, from 3.5% of the housing system to 7% - the average level found in other high-income countries in the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). An increase of this size would provide 576,625 more Canadian households with a secure and affordable home. 

Setting out the policy changes that could underpin the growth of the non-market housing sector, the report calls for a shift in perspectives, from viewing non-market housing as a 'nice to have', towards recognising it as essential infrastructure, without which our communities cannot function effectively. 

Recommendations: 

• Provide long-term, predictable contribution funding and low-cost financing to build, acquire and preserve non-market housing.
• Ensure the availability of rental assistance to low-income households.
• Incentivise scale, amalgamation and aggregation in the non-market housing sector, while seeking to supplement government funding with additional sources of funding.

Quote:  

"This report highlights the need for long-term, predictable funding for non-market housing. For Canada to course correct, a federally orchestrated policy shift is required. It will not be enough to simply fund a few more projects. Doing more of what we have been doing for 25 years will not respond to the need. Rather, a well-planned effort that invests in the supply and maintenance of non-market housing will have a ripple effect in the entire housing sector producing a corresponding return that will impact the broader Canadian economy. After all, when people have a permanent place to call home they are typically both healthy and productive." 

Sam Watts, Chair of the Working Group on Scaling-Up Non-Market Housing in Canada 

Quick Facts: 

• The NHC established a working group to prepare this report as advice for the Government of Canada in response to a letter from Minister Fraser to Tim Richter, the Co-Chair of the NHC.
• The NHC's three previous reports, as well as the first Review Panel, all recommended scaling-up the non-market housing sector as a way to secure better housing outcomes for Canadians.
• The report was developed through consultations with leaders in the non-market housing sector with experience developing and managing housing. The working group asked what their organisations need to flourish and how they would change the system to scale-up the non-market housing sector.
• The working group also examined the non-market housing sector in countries that excel in this area. At 3.5%, Canada's non-market housing sector makes up a smaller proportion of the housing system than it did in the 1990s (6%). Additionally, Canada's non-market sector is far smaller than in other countries such as the UK (16%), France (17%), Denmark (20%) and Austria (23%).
• While the costs of scaling-up the non-market housing sector are significant, the costs of doing nothing would be higher. A study in four Canadian cities found that the costs of supporting an unhoused person in affordable housing was $5,000-8,000, compared to $13,000-42,000 in emergency shelters or $66,000-120,000 in institutional settings.

Associated Links: 

To read the full report, Scaling-Up the Non-Market Housing Sector in Canada, and learn more about the National Housing Council, visit https://nhc-cnl.ca/publications/post/scaling-up-the-non-market-housing-sector-  

About the National Housing Council:

The National Housing Council is an advisory body that promotes participation and inclusion in the development of Canada's housing policy. We provide advice to the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities on urgent housing issues — including how to improve the National Housing Strategy. Our work puts marginalized voices and the needs of those made vulnerable by systemic issues at the forefront. For more information on the National Housing Council, visit our website and follow us on Twitter. 

SOURCE Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities