Canada needs at least 5.8 million new homes by 2030 to restore housing affordability. That’s more than one third of our existing housing supply all over again. How we build these homes will have major implications for Canada’s climate change and resilience goals. And, while there’s no question this is a generational challenge, it’s also a historic opportunity to build more and better housing for a fast-growing population.

What does it mean to build better housing? It means building it to be affordable, low-carbon and resilient to the worsening impacts of climate change – so that as well as addressing a housing crisis, we also take critical steps towards addressing a climate crisis.

To seize this historic opportunity, the Clean Economy Fund launched the Housing & Climate Initiative in June 2023. The purpose of the initiative is to provide the expert research, the smart policy advocacy and the irresistible communications needed for governments at every level to make sure we get 5.8 homes right.

In addition to supporting research by seven leading academic and NGO think tanks, the Initiative convened an influential Task Force for Housing & Climate.

The Task Force, which consists of 15 housing experts from across Canada, including former elected officials, mayors and chief planners, Indigenous leaders, designers, builders and developers, affordability advocates, and finance and insurance experts, delivered its final product in March 2024. The Blueprint for More and Better Housing was immediately celebrated by media, governments and stakeholders as an authoritative reference, and its 140+ policy recommendations have been adopted by many governments to date.

But there is much work still to be done. Not all governments and not all industry actors are embracing the Blueprint recommendations with the urgency and thoroughness that the moment calls for.

The Housing & Climate Initiative will continue to work with funding collaborators to identify and fund strategic projects that champion housing that is affordable, low-carbon and resilient.

Check back for updates.

Funding partners:
Trottier Family Foundation, Donner Canadian Foundation, Chisholm Thomson Family Foundation, McLean Foundation, Suncor Energy Foundation, Catherine Donnelly Foundation, Toronto Foundation, Sarah and Cary Lavine Family Foundation 

Links:

• HousingandClimate.ca
• Globe and Mail: “Governments must change rules around housing to meet building, climate targets: task force”
• Globe and Mail: “We all deserve affordable homes and a stable climate”
• The Walrus: “Want to Fight Climate Change? Fix Housing”