Land for Housing Program

Who can apply

You need to use the land to create new housing that includes affordable rental units for households with low to moderate income. Affordable housing is housing where the rent is below the average market rent (AMR) for the location.

Projects given priority include housing development that:

1. offers rent that’s at least 20% below average market rent
2. can be completed quickly
3. achieves higher-than-average social, economic or environmental outcomes

Eligible projects

Eligible projects need to be primarily residential.

The Land for Housing Program considers all types of housing projects based on the suitability of the land site. This includes:

1. mixed-income, mixed-use and mixed-tenure projects
2. single or multi-family dwellings
3. single room occupancy, co-housing and micro-units
4. seniors’ independent living housing (excluding healthcare or long-term care facilities)

You can apply for land through the Land for Housing Program if you’re a private developer or community housing (co-operative or non-profit) developer.

You need to:

1. be registered and in good standing with Registry of Joint Stock Companies or partner with a business that is
2. be a corporation, co-operative, non-profit society, Indigenous governing body or organization pursuing off-reserve housing projects
3. have previous property development and property management experience or engage a professional third-party property management company
4. have a plan for construction and operations that’s financially viable (capable of producing a profit)
5. meet equity requirements

You also need to meet any additional eligibility criteria outlined in the Property Opportunity Notice you’re applying for. Eligibility criteria may change based on specific land sites and the communities they’re located in.

Equity requirements

Private developers need to make a minimum equity contribution of 20% of the project’s eligible capital development costs in the form of cash or unencumbered land.

Community housing groups need to make a minimum equity contribution of 5% of the project’s eligible capital development costs in the form of cash.