The federal government released its Spring Economic听Update听this week,听focusing on their plan to build Canada 91影视 鈥檚 economy.听Against the backdrop of heightened unaffordability, ongoing housing pressures, and a precarious global economic environment, this Spring Economic Update听identifies听housing as a key pillar of the government 91影视 鈥檚 approach to support Canadians.听听
On housing and homelessness, the听update included:听听
- A听$150 million top up to the听Unsheltered Homelessness and Encampments Initiative.听
- Allocation听of the听previously-promised听funding听urban, rural,听and northern Indigenous housing, for听$2.8 billion听over five years.听听
- Providing听flexibility听through bilateral housing agreements with territories to ensure survivors of gender-based violence can access a safe place to live.
- Accelerating听funding for the Apartment听Construction Loan听Program to听build more rental听housing.
- Allocation of听funding for听the听new Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) to help more than 12 million Canadians afford day-today essentials.
- A听number of听other housing measures听focused on听housing听development and听construction听and听home ownership.听听
The听Spring Economic听Update also听indicates听that the federal government will听undertake a听consultation process to听鈥榤odernize tax rules听for charities.鈥櫶鼵AEH听will听monitor,听engage, and keep听the sector听up-to-date听in this process听as it听moves听ahead.
What This Means for People Experiencing Homelessness听
While the听Spring Economic Update听lays out that听housing听prices are easing broadly听across the country,听low-income households continue to听bear the brunt of听housing unaffordability听and听the cost-of-living听crisis.听For Canadians living听in deep听poverty,听housing affordability听颈蝉苍鈥檛听improving and听cost-of-living pressures are worsening.听Low-income households,听those听most at听risk of听homelessness,听spend most of their听budget on听food,听rent, and听energy听鈥� all costs that听continue to听rapidly rise and听are outpacing听wage听growth and stagnant听income听support rates.听听
The听new听groceries and essentials听benefit is a recognition that Canadians are听struggling听to make ends meet听and the top-up to the Unsheltered听Homelessness and Encampments听Initiative听acknowledges听the听growing homelessness in our听communities.听While听these investments听are important signals,听we鈥檒l听be ramping up our advocacy听to听expand听investments in housing听and homelessness that听reach听those in听greatest need听鈥� and听get the听government听focused听on听solving the听problem,听not managing it.听听
What we听Didn鈥檛听see听in the Spring听Economic Update听
Over the months leading up to the Spring Economic Update, the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH) has been calling for the federal government to negotiate a Canada Housing Accord to bring all levels of government together around clear goals, timelines, and responsibilities to solve the housing crisis. The investments made in the Spring Economic Update would be strengthened by an Accord, ensuring that every investment dollar goes further through collaboration and clear objectives from all levels of government.
While the听Spring Economic Update听诲颈诲苍鈥檛听include a mention of the government 91影视 鈥檚 upcoming听renewal听of the听National Housing Strategy,听we expect the federal government to begin consultation on the new National Housing Strategy听in听the coming weeks.听
Where听we go听From听Here and听What听Canada Needs Going into Budget 2026听
As a next step,听we鈥檒l听continue听to work with听the government to support the implementation of听the investments in the听Spring Economic听Update. With the听funding for听urban,听rural, and northern Indigenous housing,听we鈥檒l听be working to ensure the government takes a true听by-Indigenous听for-Indigenous approach听and听will听continue听to听push听them to听deliver this funding听without any听further delays.听听
This听is a big听year for housing and homelessness.听With Canada 91影视 鈥檚 National Housing Strategy (NHS) coming up for renewal in 2027-28, you will hear from us lots on what we want to see in the next strategy and what the government needs to change in its approach to meaningfully reduce homelessness and improve housing affordability in its next strategy.听We have been calling for a new NHS that is focused on outcomes including reductions in homelessness.听Look out for more details in the coming weeks on CAEH 91影视 鈥檚 recommendations for the next federal budget and our recommendations for the future of the National Housing Strategy.听
We鈥檒l听be continuing to push for a听Canada听Housing Accord, we will听be launching a new听campaign听on the听Canada听Housing Benefit, and听will be听developing recommendations for a federal Homelessness Strategy and improvements to Reaching Home听
What听You听Can Do听
You can help turn this into a reality听by calling听your local MP,听sharing your story, and听demanding a Canada听Housing Accord.听Call now using this 听
For media inquiries,听contact:听media@caeh.ca