Canadian Design and Construction Report staff writer
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney’s proposed housing plan, Build Canada Homes, will focus on affordable housing, Canadian-made materials, and faster development on federal lands, according to a consultation document recently released by the federal government.
The document from Canada’s housing department outlines the new entity’s mandate to support large-scale housing projects while reducing construction costs and environmental impacts. It encourages the use of prefabricated and 3D-printed construction methods and stresses the importance of regional production hubs.
Financial and non-financial tools under consideration include loans, equity investments, loan guarantees, and contributions. Build Canada Homes is expected to act as a developer to build affordable housing at scale, including on public lands, and provide more than $25 billion in financing to prefabricated homebuilders. The program will also incentivize companies to hire apprentices and recent graduates through federal contribution agreements tied to major projects.
The consultation document highlights support for housing delivered by co-ops, non-profits, and Indigenous housing providers, and seeks public feedback on the program design until the end of the month.
Carney also announced measures to support Canada’s softwood lumber sector, including:
- Up to $700 million in loan guarantees to help companies maintain and restructure operations.
- $500 million to boost product and market diversification, including Indigenous-led forestry initiatives.
- Federal procurement changes prioritizing Canadian lumber in major infrastructure projects and homebuilding.
- $50 million for upskilling, reskilling, and income support for over 6,000 affected workers through Labour Market Development Agreements.
- Diversification of international markets for sustainably sourced Canadian wood products.
The government says the plan aims to increase homebuilding to nearly 500,000 units annually over the next decade while supporting domestic manufacturing and environmentally responsible construction practices.
