Housing Accelerator Fund

Media Release from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Published: June 29, 2026

Far too many Canadians are struggling to find homes they can afford. Solving Canada’s housing crisis requires immediate action to bring down costs, cut red tape, and build homes more quickly. The Government of Canada is stepping up with a bold new approach to build affordable housing across the country.

The Housing Design Catalogue is part of a broader set of measures introduced by the federal government to double the rate of housing construction, restore affordability, and reduce homelessness. The Catalogue supports standardization in the housing sector, and local governments are key partners in unlocking that potential, through a library of over 50 pre-approved low-rise housing plans to accelerate gentle density nationwide, that’s free to use for all Canadians. The designs take into consideration the different building requirements across Canada and were developed by regional architecture and engineering teams.

Today, Chris Malette, Member of Parliament for Bay of Quinte, alongside the Mayor of Belleville, Neil Ellis, announced that Belleville has endorsed the Housing Design Catalogue and has become the latest municipality to join dozens more across the country as an official Local Partner. Belleville is proactively supporting the Catalogue by pre-reviewing designs to streamline approvals — making it easier for builders and homeowners to plan their projects. Through the Housing Accelerator Fund, the City modernized zoning regulations and embraced standardized designs, also developing it’s own pre-approved Accessory Dwelling Unit plans for use in the community. Along with the Catalogue designs, Belleville residents and builders now have access to more housing options to help drive down the cost of construction.

Work continues with local governments across Canada to encourage them to support the Housing Design Catalogue. The Government of Canada is making the housing investments that will help strengthen Canadian supply chains and create good jobs at every step of the homebuilding process — helping to build more homes and a stronger Canadian economy at the same time.

Quotes:

“Today, as partners, we’re building a stronger Canada. Looking around me, I know that while each of us has different solutions to share, we share the same goal: to increase residential construction and ensure that everyone in Canada has a place to live.”

“The City of Belleville is proud to support the Government of Canada’s Housing Design Catalogue as an important tool to help accelerate housing construction. By working together with our federal partners, we can help streamline the process of building more homes, increase the supply of affordable housing and support the long-term growth of communities across our region.”

Quick facts:

• List of Local Partners: Housing Catalogue support for local governments
• Homeowners, builders, and communities interested in receiving updates can sign up on the Housing Design Catalogue webpage.
• The full technical design packages launched in October 2025 consist of architectural and engineering drawings and specifications, including accessible-ready and enhanced-accessible layouts, energy reporting documents and templates, building performance reports, and a user guide. Regional construction cost summaries and guidance on climate resilience and material selection are also now available. The designs cover all regions of the country: British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, the Atlantic provinces (New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island), and the Northern territories (Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut). Designs were developed by regional architecture and engineering teams and focus on creating gentle density and infill development in existing neighbourhoods in all regions of the country.
• The federal government will continue to engage provinces and territories under the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund, including collaborating on the Housing Design Catalogue and standardized designs.
• The federal government is drawing inspiration from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)'s post-war housing design catalogues developed between the 1940s and 1970s.
• Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) will continue to deliver on its mandate to contribute to the well-being of Canada's housing system through existing programs such as the Apartment Construction Loan Program and Mortgage Loan Insurance products.

Media Release from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Published: Feb. 5, 2025

To make progress towards solving the housing crisis we need to build more homes at prices that Canadians can afford, faster. To do this we need to end restrictive zoning and speed up permitting, and add greater density, especially near transit and post-secondary institutions. The Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) will cut this red tape and fast-track at least 112,000 new homes by 2028, which cities and regions estimate will lead to the creation of over 750,000 new homes for people in towns, cities, and Indigenous communities across Canada over the next decade.

Today, the Government of Canada and City of Belleville announced that they reached an agreement to accelerate the construction of 259 homes over the next three years. This work will help spur the construction of 10,540 homes over the next decade. This agreement under the second round of the HAF, will provide over $10.5 million to eliminate barriers to building the housing we need, faster.

HAF requires action plans from local governments, unlocking funding to ensure the timely implementation of housing initiatives, with subsequent payments upon delivering results. Local governments are encouraged to think big and be bold in their approaches, which could include accelerating project timelines, allowing increased housing density, and encouraging affordable housing units.

The City of Belleville’s Action Plan commits to eight local initiatives which includes systemic changes through rezoning to allow four units as-of-right, promoting a greater range of housing types, and exploring higher density permissions in strategic areas. The development approvals process will be streamlined to reduce red tape by delegating staff authority over minor rezoning and variances, with a concierge service for missing middle and affordable housing developments. In addition, supply and affordability will be enhanced through the promotion of alternative housing solutions, a refresh of the financial incentives, and the disposition of city-owned lands for affordable housing.

The Government of Canada is making life more affordable for Canadians — and housing is key to our work. We will continue to work with provincial, territorial, and municipal governments, as well as Indigenous partners, to keep building more homes for Canadians, faster.

Quotes:

“Our government is committed to removing barriers and cutting red tape to enable housing development, and these partnerships with Ontario communities will do just that.”

“As a City, we remain committed to increasing our housing supply and addressing the dire need for affordable options for residents. Today’s announcement will allow us to incent and expand diverse housing options in our community. On behalf of the City of Belleville and council, I would like to thank the Government of Canada for their generous contribution to supporting the growth of our city.”

Quick facts:

• Launched in March 2023, the Housing Accelerator Fund is a $4.4 billion initiative from the Government of Canada that will run until 2027 – 28. The first round of funding totalled $4 billion, and Budget 2024 added an additional $400 million to this program.
• The Housing Accelerator Fund is part of Canada’s National Housing Strategy (NHS), an $115+ billion plan to give more Canadians a place to call home. Progress on programs and initiatives are updated quarterly on the Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC) website. The Housing Funding Initiatives Mapshows affordable housing projects that have been developed.
  • As of September 2024, the federal government has committed $57.57 billion to support the creation of over 156,000 units and the repair of over 297,000 units. These measures prioritize those in greatest need, including seniors, Indigenous Peoples, people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and women and children fleeing violence.
• In Budget 2024, the federal government committed an additional $400 million to incentivize more local governments to fast-track home construction, resulting in an additional 12,000 new homes permitted over the next four years.