Bill C-20

Build Canada Homes Act

An Act respecting the establishment of Build Canada Homes

This enactment establishes Build Canada Homes as a Crown corporation. The purpose of Build Canada Homes is to promote, support and develop the supply of affordable housing in Canada and to promote innovative and efficient building techniques in the housing construction sector in Canada. The enactment, among other things,
(a) sets out the powers of Build Canada Homes and its governance framework;
(b) authorizes the Minister of Finance to make payments out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund to fund the operations and activities of Build Canada Homes; and
(c) provides that the Governor in Council may transfer to Build Canada Homes the property, rights, interests and obligations held by any Crown corporation or subsidiary of a Crown corporation and may issue directives for measures to be taken in relation to the reorganization of Canada Lands Company Limited or any of its subsidiaries.
It also includes transitional provisions, makes a consequential amendment to the Financial Administration Act and contains coordinating amendments.

Build Canada Homes Act

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in terms of what would improve the organization, there is no question that the federal government has a role to play in housing, but the role is not one of an organization or role that picks winners and losers in a market. It is one that does not distort market conditions to allow these things to be built. It is one where GST can be taken off new homes. It is one where we can incentivize municipalities based on their approval of building permits or their lowering of development charges, whether we would grant them federal infrastructure dollars or not.

This is the government's role in all of this. There is plenty we can do, but an additional bureaucracy will not do any of that. In fact, it will result in more of the exact same that we have seen over the last 10 years.

[John-Paul Danko, Liberal, Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it always astounds me when members stand up in the House and have absolutely no clue about what they are talking about on the ground. The member opposite talked about past housing projects. Through the housing accelerator fund, $93.5 million went to the City of Hamilton. That was used to build nearly 3,000 additional homes and housing units and for building growth-related infrastructure. In terms of CMHC funding, nearly $200 million went to CityHousing Hamilton and affordable housing projects in the City of Hamilton. Before members stand up and speak nonsense, they should know the facts.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is nice that the member is actually allowed to get up outside of question period. He is not yelling from the peanut gallery.

This program is supposed to deliver 500,000 homes. It is going to deliver 5,000. It has delivered about five so far.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, as I look at the creation of Build Canada Homes, I am particularly interested in the fact that the government moved fast and used something rarely used, called a special operating agency, which is under Treasury Board rules.

I wonder if the lack of transparency involved in that troubles the member for Thornhill.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite raises an interesting point. There are a lot of these shadow bureaucracies being set up right outside of the bureaucracy, which has grown, by the way, in a disproportionate way. The member opposite should be interested to know that the government is actually looking to set up another $1.5-billion office to buy excess condo stock off the market. The Liberals have not told anybody about it, but that is certainly what they are dealing with here. This is yet another program outside of what is being delivered in what is going to be Build Canada Homes, unless they change it and they can get the votes in the House to support it.

[Caroline Desrochers, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure]

Mr. Speaker, I will share my time with the member for Churchill—Keewatinook Aski.

I am very proud to have this opportunity to talk about Bill C-20, the Build Canada Homes act, and why Build Canada Homes plays an important role in supporting the Canadian economy and the federal government's buy Canadian policy.

Launched in September 2025, Build Canada Homes is a special operating agency that, thanks to its fast and effective work, has already undertaken major projects to provide more affordable housing to Canadians. As a Crown corporation, Build Canada Homes will have the flexibility and operational autonomy to fulfill its mandate and clear lines of accountability to the government. This is why the Build Canada Homes act is a decisive piece of legislation.

The Government of Canada must strengthen its ability to respond to the housing crisis, increase housing supply and accelerate innovation in residential construction. Too many Canadians are still struggling to find affordable housing. The mission of Build Canada Homes is to fast-track the construction of affordable housing. Housing costs are going up and supply is not keeping up with demand. By consolidating functions that were once spread out across multiple departments, agencies and programs, we will strengthen the government's ability to deliver real results. We know that our opposition colleagues hate it when we deliver real results, but we are going to do it anyway. Traditional approaches to construction and financing are no longer enough on their own to deliver the fast, large-scale results that Canadians need. Build Canada Homes will be a developer, a funder, a unifying force and a catalyst for innovation in the housing sector. Canadians need more homes, and the build Canada homes act will help us build faster and more efficiently at scale.

I would now like to talk a bit about the economic situation and how Build Canada Homes fits into the current economic climate across the country. Recently, the global economy experienced a change that upended the traditional world order. Canada can no longer count on its biggest trade relationship. In light of this, we have to strengthen our capacity here in Canada. We are building stronger relationships with all levels of government, be they municipal, territorial or provincial, and with our indigenous partners. We are making strategic investments to build a stronger, more sustainable and more resilient economy. We are working to cut red tape, remove internal trade barriers and pursue new agreements to stimulate local economies.

In these uncertain times, the Government of Canada is taking decisive action now to transform our nation and to make it more resilient, moving it from reliance to resilience. The goal is to make Canada one of the fastest-growing and most competitive economies in the world, ushering in a new era of economic security and prosperity for Canadians. The Government of Canada is achieving this by building on the strength of our industries and implementing measures like Build Canada Homes and the buy Canadian policy in order to invest in the future and grow our economy.

As a Crown corporation, Build Canada Homes will be funded through the initial $13-billion envelope announced in the 2025 budget. Build Canada Homes is not a program. It is an investment agency that may seek other investment and gather other financial institutions around the table. Build Canada Homes was created to centralize federal support for affordable housing, in coordination with the other departments and agencies. It is going to move swiftly, use federal lands, support innovative building approaches and establish partnerships in all sectors to build more homes.

Build Canada Homes is a key part of Canada's new industrial strategy, and it will contribute to a more productive residential construction sector. Build Canada Homes will boost the housing industry through the construction of thousands of new homes. As more homes are built, we will ensure the growth, training and support for Canada's skilled workforce while creating good-paying jobs. In addition to building new homes, we will support the delivery of critical housing infrastructure, including water and waste water systems. Build Canada Homes will prioritize projects that use Canadian-made materials, such as mass timber, softwood lumber, steel and aluminum.

It will promote modern construction methods such as modular and prefabricated housing to reduce construction times, material waste and environmental impact.

The federal government is leveraging the key relationships it has with private developers, businesses, community organizations and non-profits, and with other government and indigenous partners. By working together, we are creating job opportunities here at home and supporting the Canadian workforce. We are doing all this by building housing more efficiently and to benefit everyone: builders, developers, investors, buyers and workers.

In December 2025, we launched the buy Canadian policy, which was created to protect and prioritize Canadian industries and workers and to strengthen Canada's economy. The policy ensures that the federal government prioritizes Canadian suppliers and local content in its procurement processes. This approach applies to all federal funding sources and Crown corporations. The buy Canadian policy also provides a road map for provinces and municipalities to implement similar standards in their own procurement processes.

We have a big challenge ahead of us, and we need to tackle it on all fronts. These changes to the procurement rules will create a strong Canadian supply chain and help Canadian industries be more self-reliant and resilient in the face of fluctuations in the global economy. This policy supports Canada's construction and defence industries and applies to projects such as buildings, bridges and much more. It requires major federal construction and defence procurement projects to use Canadian-made steel, aluminum and wood.

The policy will also protect Canada's industry from global trade disruptions and foreign tariffs. Our aim is to build and strengthen our country while creating good-paying jobs and supporting major Canadian industries, such as steel, aluminum, critical minerals and softwood lumber. With the new buy Canadian policy, we are making the government a force for nation building. We are becoming our own best customer. We are protecting Canadian businesses and giving workers access to good-paying jobs that strengthen Canada's prosperity.

In conclusion, the Government of Canada is introducing legislation like the build Canada homes act to strengthen our capacity here at home. We are investing in Canadian industries and creating good jobs for young people, the jobs of tomorrow. Build Canada Homes is part of the federal government's strategic efforts to invest in our country, protect Canadian interests and make our economy one of the strongest in the G7.

By making Build Canada Homes a Crown corporation, the government will be in a better position to ensure that Canadians have access to affordable housing. Across the country, we want to build more housing quickly and efficiently using Canadian materials, Canadian labour and Canadian businesses. We want to build housing so all Canadians have a home that fits their budget and needs.

The build Canada homes act will give the federal government a bigger positive influence over Canada's housing system. Together, the investments made by Build Canada Homes, in collaboration with key partners, will help strengthen our economy and create lasting economic benefits for communities across the country.

[Burton Bailey, Conservative, Red Deer, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite speaks highly about the bill, but let us be honest, it is more bureaucracy: paying tax dollars to a bloated board of directors, all appointed by the government.

How does the member justify adding this layer of bureaucracy when Canadians are crying out for more actual homes, not more Liberal insiders with big salaries?

[Caroline Desrochers, Liberal, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the housing crisis is real, and we have to deal with it. We really need to think outside the box. We need to try something different. Clearly, what has been done so far has not worked.

Some very good projects have been launched since 2017 under Canada's national housing strategy. Hundreds of homes have been built. Now we have to tackle the issue of affordability. That is what we are doing through Build Canada Homes. The mission of Build Canada Homes is to deliver affordable housing.

What the members opposite are proposing is to help a different class, a different type. We also want to talk about access to home ownership. Access to home ownership is important, but we need to build more affordable homes.

[Alexis Deschênes, Bloc, Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for her co-operation during our work together on housing projects in my riding, in the Gaspé and on the Magdalen Islands.

I would like to ask her a question, because I think she has a good grasp of regional realities.

At the moment, construction costs are often 30% higher in the regions, but the funds provided by governments to build affordable housing make no allowance for this disparity. As a result, the same housing in the Gaspé has to cost 30% less to offset the additional costs.

What does my colleague think Build Canada Homes would have to do to ensure that regional realities will be taken into account?

[Caroline Desrochers, Liberal, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague raises an important issue. We must ensure that Build Canada Homes also responds to the realities of rural regions and remote communities. This is extremely important to me, and I often bring it up in conversations.

Right now, Build Canada Homes is exploring options to better support small municipalities, rural areas and remote communities in order to ensure that they have access to the program and that Build Canada Homes fully understands the realities of rural communities. We are continuing our efforts.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I wonder if the member could just reflect on how important the issue has been for the government, which is the primary reason for bringing this legislation forward.

In contrast to the Conservatives, we believe that the national government does play a strong leadership role in making housing more affordable in Canada and in working with our partners.

[Caroline Desrochers, Liberal, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Build Canada Homes has been established very quickly. Very little time passed between when we made that commitment during the election campaign and when Build Canada Homes was launched in September. In addition, shovels will be in the ground soon. The process happened exceptionally fast because we know that there is a real crisis. We absolutely must propose concrete solutions, not just unequivocal, across-the-board tax cuts. That is no way to run serious programs.

By making Build Canada Homes a Crown corporation, we will get all the tools we need, all the mechanisms we need to build more housing, to bring more financial partners to the table and to create innovative partnerships. That is what we are doing.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I will ask a very quick question. Housing is under Quebec's jurisdiction. Why is the government still trying to centralize it? It slows the process down, and the Government of Quebec, provincial governments and local governments know more about what their people need.

[Caroline Desrochers, Liberal, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would encourage my colleague to have that conversation with the Government of Quebec, which is very enthusiastic about the agreement we signed. Our collaboration with the Government of Quebec has been going very well since the agreement was signed on January 21. We have already met several times to discuss working together, and some projects are close to being approved.

I encourage the member to discuss this with the Government of Quebec, which is happy with the agreement.

[Rebecca Chartrand, Liberal, Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs and Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support Bill C-20, not only as the Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs, but also as a first nations woman and the first to have this portfolio.

However, this is not about me; it is about the communities of the north that really need to be the problem-solvers of the issues they are dealing with on a day-to-day basis, including housing. It is also about the communities I come from, Churchill—Keewatinook Aski. When we think about the generations of northern and indigenous women who have carried their families, languages, nations and communities through hardships and hope and we think about this moment, there is real meaning and opportunity in this bill.

When we think about a house, it is more than four walls and a roof; it is the backbone of health, safety, opportunity and identity. When families sleep at night, sometimes they are concerned about overcrowding. This can be exhausting when elders do not have a place to consider home as they are aging. They want to age on the lands that raised them. They want to see that children have space to study and dream and that communities can thrive. In the north and the Arctic, people have waited far too long for basic conditions most of us in the south take for granted.

When we think about moving forward from an Inuit Nunangat perspective, more than half of Inuit live in crowded housing, and in Nunavut the rate is even higher. The realities of building in the north are unlike anywhere else in Canada. There are high construction, operation and maintenance costs; short building seasons; and supply chains that rely on sealift, winter roads and air. When timing slips in the north, it is not just a minor inconvenience; it can push a project into the next season and the cost increases significantly. The delays that this puts on families are exhausting.

This is why the Build Canada Homes act matters. This legislation would transform Build Canada Homes into a Crown corporation, which would give it the independence and tools to build more homes faster and more efficiently. The bill would strengthen federal capacity to partner with northern indigenous communities, which can build faster and at scale.

We want to ensure that we use public land more effectively and use modern construction methods that fit northern realities. Build Canada Homes would help scale off-site and modular construction, which are approaches that can improve speed and predictability when weather and short seasons make on-site building difficult. It would also help bundle projects so that smaller and remote communities are not left behind. It would back Canadian lumber, Canadian steel and Canadian workers; strengthen domestic supply chains; create good jobs; and build more of what we need here at home and in the north.

We are not starting from zero. Since launching in September 2025, Build Canada Homes has already advanced six direct-build projects and secured partnerships representing more than 7,500 homes.

Last month, Canada, Nunavut and NTI signed an agreement in principle to deliver 750 new homes across the territory, including public, affordable and supportive housing. Importantly for Nunavut's short season, a portion will use factory-built components to reduce delays and deliver homes more predictably, and 25 of those homes will be delivered through an Inuit-led model, reflecting the Inuit Nunangat policy and the right of Inuit to design and deliver housing solutions that work for them and their communities.

That is the kind of partnership this bill would make possible. It is practical, community-led and rooted in indigenous leadership and northern realities. It is the kind of partnership the House should be proud of.

This bill also supports the government's broader housing agenda, which is grounded in partnership with first nations, Inuit and Métis partners, so that housing reflects indigenous priorities and builds long-term capacity.

As Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs, I see housing as foundational to everything else, including health, education, economic participation and community well-being. I also see it as a connection to sovereignty. Arctic sovereignty is not only about maps. It is about people: whether families can choose to stay where they grew up, workers can live where opportunities are and communities can thrive on lands for generations yet to come.

The bill is an opportunity to match urgency with capacity and to replace delay with delivery. I urge all members of this House to support the bill. The north has waited far too long. With the legislation, we could help build a future where northern and indigenous families are no longer waiting for housing, but they are helping to shape it, they are building it and they are finally calling it home.