Winnipeg Exceeds Housing Targets in First Year of Housing Accelerator Fund Program

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Winnipeg Exceeds Housing Targets in First Year of Housing Accelerator Fund Program

January 13, 2025

The City of Winnipeg has surpassed its housing development targets for the first year of the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) program, according to city officials. As a result the City received a scheduled payment of $30.6 million from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).

The funding will be used to support the City’s eight Action Plan Initiatives, which aim to expedite the development process and increase the availability of affordable housing units in Winnipeg.

This installment represents the second of four payments outlined in the City’s $122.4 million HAF agreement with CMHC. As per the agreement, the City is obligated to facilitate the creation of 14,101 housing units by 2027, with a minimum of 931 units being designated as affordable housing. The initial building permit target for the program’s first year was set at 3,733 units, a target that was successfully exceeded. In fact, 4,307 housing units received permits during the first year.

“Exceeding our housing targets in the first year demonstrates our commitment to tackling Winnipeg’s housing crisis,” said Mayor Scott Gillingham. “This second round of funding validates our progress, and the early release of our annual report to CMHC – nearly a year ahead of schedule – exemplifies our commitment to transparency and accountability.”

“There’s a great deal of momentum being generated – quite literally – in response to the housing crisis in Winnipeg,” said Sherri Rollins, Chairperson of the Standing Policy Committee on Property and Development. “This installment will allow that momentum to continue growing as we leverage these funds to bolster local development initiatives. I’m aware of the City staff’s tireless efforts to meet the ambitious targets outlined in our program initiatives, and I commend them for their success thus far.”

A requirement for receiving this installment was the City submitting a report to CMHC detailing all program activities undertaken to date. The report outlined the milestones established for each of the eight Action Plan Initiatives, along with corresponding progress updates.