FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 18, 2019
OTTAWA, ON — Finding solutions to housing challenges such as affordability, social inclusion, Northern and remote supports, Indigenous housing provision, and environmental sustainability is key to ensuring that more Canadians have access housing that meets their needs and that they can afford.
Today, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), announced $2.2 million in funding for eleven projects recipients through the National Housing Strategy (NHS) Solutions Labs Initiative. Funding for successful projects ranges from $25,000 to $250,000.
The NHS Solutions Labs initiative provides housing stakeholders with funding and expert innovation lab consultants to help solve complex housing problems using innovation methods and tools.
Outcomes from the Solutions Labs will better-equip housing stakeholders with practical solutions that will support a culture of innovation by fostering partnerships, replication as well as creating and disseminating real-world data for evidence-based decision-making leading to more housing affordability solutions.
Quote:
“Working collaboratively, experts and housing stakeholders with diverse experience and knowledge, are developing solutions to identified housing issues within the Strategy’s key priority areas. The solution lab approach draws on the strengths, empathy, creativity, and wisdom of a collective to explore new ways of making progress on a complex housing problem. These solutions will help strengthen, better equip and innovate the affordable housing sector in Canada. Congratulations to all the recipients and also to all of those who submitted their work to the NHS Solutions Labs Initiative program.” – The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Quick Facts:
Funding for Solutions Labs is available to those who wish to address housing related issues identified under the National Housing Strategy’s priority areas.
- The Solutions Labs initiative competitive open-call process occurs annually. The next one will be held in May 2019.
- Experts interested in acting as reviewers are invited to manifest their interest by writing to Innovation-Research@cmhc-schl.gc.ca.
- The NHS includes $241 million over 10 years to support research on housing needs and conditions, the housing finance system, market stability and housing sector innovation.
- Under the Investing in Canada Plan, the Government of Canada is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada’s rural and northern communities.
Associated Links:
As Canada’s authority on housing, CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need, and offers unbiased housing research and advice to all levels of Canadian government, consumers and the housing industry. For more information, please visit cmhc.ca or follow us on Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.
The National Housing Strategy is an ambitious 10-year, $55-billion plan that will reduce or eliminate 530,000 families from housing need across Canada, create 125,000 new housing units, as well as repair and renew more than 300,000 housing units and reduce chronic homelessness by 50 per cent.
To find out more about the National Housing Strategy, visit www.placetocallhome.ca.
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Media contacts:
Valérie Glazer
Office of Minister Duclos
819-654-5546 (bureau / work)
613-220-1841 (cellulaire / cellular)
valerie.glazer@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
Audrey-Anne Coulombe
Media Relations, CMHC
613-748-2573
acoulomb@cmhc-schl.gc.ca