Ontario (June 9) and Manitoba (June 5) are the latest provinces to join the growing list that have signed new bilateral housing deals with the federal government. The federal government promised $1.9 billion in September of 2008 to extend three federal housing and homelessness programs that were set to expire. To date, they have allocated $189.7 million – or about 10% of the total promised. The federal government promised $2 billion in January of 2009 for four specific housing initiatives and, to date, has allocated $1.5 billion – or about 72% of the total promised. Only three provinces have not yet signed new housing deals – BC, Alberta and Quebec. Allocating the housing dollars is the first step towards funding new homes, or renovating existing rundown housing. Most of the new agreements build on previous federal-provincial and federal-territorial housing initiatives. The Wellesley Institute is working to complete a more detailed analysis of developments under the existing housing and homelessness programs.