The Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) was first announced by the federal government in September 2020 as a program that would provide $1 billion in funding to build new modular housing and acquire properties that could be converted to affordable housing. Half of the $1 billion was allocated to 16 municipalities, and the other half was available to community housing providers via an application process that closed on December 31, 2020.
Over the fall, the Canadian Housing & Renewal Association (CHRA) and other stakeholders called on the federal government to increase funding to the RHI as a second phase to the program. In January 2021, the Prime Minister communicated the following directive to the Minister responsible for housing: “[…] Increas[e] investments to rapid housing in the short term and [develop] new programs and partner[ships] with not-for-profits and co-ops in the mid- to long-term.” As such, there is a strong likelihood that there will be additional investments forthcoming to the RHI.
In order to provide guidance to the federal government on how the program could be improved as part of a second phase, CHRA and the Community Housing Transformation Centre are co-hosting an online consultation on Monday, February 8 from 11 am to 12:30 pm EST in order to receive feedback on the Rapid Housing Initiative. During this session, there will be an opportunity for participants to share concerns, challenges, and/or successes experienced with the RHI, and to identify recommendations for reforming the program if there is to be a second phase.
To register, click here (https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMlfuGtrj4rG9THqTHu984nuTZPlWAPE8K0). Once you register, you will receive an email with the log-in information.
