Mr. Chair, members of the committee, thank you for having me here today.
My name is Tim Ross. I'm here on behalf of the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada, or CHFC, which represents housing co-operatives across Canada.
There are over 2,200 non-profit housing co-operatives across the country, home to a quarter of a million Canadians. For over five decades, co-operatives have proven their worth, providing secure and affordable long-term housing managed by their residents and well rooted in the community.
Bill C‑20, an act respecting the establishment of Build Canada Homes, is a truly rare opportunity to scale up and focus on non-market housing models that are already successful, such as co-operative housing. If Build Canada Homes wants to deliver real results—in other words, build better housing, not just build it faster—it clearly needs to prioritize non-market housing like co-ops. This would increase non-market supply in Canada, support good jobs and build housing that would serve the community for a long time to come.
Today I'd like to share three concrete recommendations to improve Build Canada Homes and maximize results.
First, let's invest now in shovel-ready co-operative housing projects with long-term, predictable funding and financing. Co-ops are building again at scale. Since the co-op housing development program launched in June 2024, over $1.2 billion has been committed to nearly 2,800 new co-op homes, with roughly 1,550 under construction as of December 31, and there are more where that came from.
We have thousands of units in our co-op pipeline thanks to the momentum of the co-op housing development program. However, the pipeline is at risk as available funding runs out. To deliver at scale, non-market developers need long-term, predictable funding and financing tools, and they need workable guarantee and security requirements. To enable success, BCH needs to effectively coordinate with other federal entities like CMHC and with provincial partners.
I would highlight that as Build Canada Homes is scaling up a build focus, several programs essential to the sustainability and growth of non-market housing have been cut, have expired or will soon expire, including seed funding and preservation funding. The federal government should clearly recommit to these measures going forward. This is the moment to keep shovel-ready non-market projects moving and to set Build Canada Homes up for long-term success by focusing on predictability, permanent affordability and enduring public value.
Second, Build Canada Homes must advance reconciliation through indigenous-led housing. Indigenous households face some of the most severe housing inequities in Canada, including in urban, rural and northern communities. Solutions must be culturally appropriate and indigenous-led. We recommend a clear “for indigenous, by indigenous” mandate for a meaningful portion of Build Canada Homes projects, backed by indigenous leadership in governance, program design and delivery.
Third, rental assistance must be a core pillar of national housing policy. If Build Canada Homes is to deliver genuinely affordable housing, affordability must be defined on an income basis, not only against market rents. Many households—seniors, persons with disabilities and families on fixed or low incomes—can't even afford modest rents tied to market costs. That's why rental assistance must remain a core pillar of national housing policy.
Thousands and thousands of households in co-op and non-profit housing face the expiry of federal rental assistance in a matter of months. We urge the federal government to renew that assistance permanently so that deeply affordable homes are protected while we build new supply. Build Canada Homes should also integrate rental assistance into a portion of the homes it develops, to create deeper affordability for low-income and moderate-income households.
In closing, Canada does not lack housing solutions. We lack the scale and policy predictability needed to deliver. Co-op housing is proven, resilient and community-driven. With Bill C-20, we encourage you to prioritize non-market housing, provide predictable, long-term funding and financing tools, ensure a meaningful “for indigenous, by indigenous” stream, and renew and embed rental assistance so that affordability is truly income-based.
Thank you. I look forward to your questions.