Public funding is still very much the backbone of community housing, and for good reason. It’s what makes deeply affordable rents possible, especially for lower-income households. But on the ground, organizations are increasingly facing a new reality: private capital entering the picture, new conditions to navigate, and lenders whose questions look nothing like those of grant officers. The old debate about whether mission-aligned private capital belongs in the sector is already settled. It’s here. The real more delicate question is this: is your organization ready to work with it?
Private investors are ready to invest in community housing. Are you ready?
October 22 at 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm EDT
Who is New Market Funds?
This is precisely what New Market Funds (NMF) has been working on for several years. Certified as a B Corporation (see below) and majority-owned by a registered charity founded by sector organizations, the firm invests in affordable rental housing by partnering with well-established non-profits and co-ops, rather than acting alone in the market. This is an important distinction: NMF positions itself neither as a traditional mortgage lender nor as a government program, but rather as a link in the financing model working alongside other partners.
The “B Corp” certification
Certified B Corporations are companies verified by B Lab to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. Being a B Corp means committing to a more inclusive, equitable, and regenerative way of doing business.
In practice, NMF identifies rental buildings at risk of losing their affordability—often properties coveted by institutional investors because of their below-market rents and short-term return potential. The team conducts due diligence, negotiates, and then structures financing that combines private, public, and philanthropic capital. Once the acquisition is complete, the partner organization becomes the owner, with mechanisms in place to ensure long-term affordability. But NMF’s involvement doesn’t end with the purchase: the team remains on hand to support asset management, including any necessary renovations.
Success stories from across the country
Between 2022 and 2025, this model has enabled more than 1,500 rental units to be transferred to non-profit owners across the country. In Montreal, NMF participated alongside Desjardins, the Quebec Government, the City of Montreal, and the Fondation Lucie et André Chagnon in financing the acquisition by Corporation Mainbourg of 720 units at Domaine La Rousselière—a concrete illustration of mission-aligned capital being integrated alongside other financial partners. In Winnipeg, an NMF investment helped the University of Winnipeg Community Renewal Corporation preserve 40 units for immigrant women and their children. In Toronto, 82 units moved from the private market to a non-profit trust. And in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, 56 units were preserved for the local workforce through the Island Unity Land Co-operative.
And they’re not stopping here. If the sector could move the needle from just 4% to 7% of Canada’s rental stock being owned off-market, that would mean roughly 150,000 units changing hands. It’s a staggering figure but it also puts into perspective why every single deal matters.
What investors really look at
This is the heart of the next webinar in our series, taking place on October 22, 2026. New Market Funds will explain, without sugar-coating it, what really happens on the other side of the table when a community organization sits down with an investor.
What does it actually mean to be “ready to invest,” beyond the spreadsheets? How does a mission-aligned lender assess financial risk, social impact, governance, and a project’s viability all at once? And above all: why do solid projects sometimes fail to find a taker? NMF members will get into the nitty-gritty.
The discussion will also cover the crucial role of leadership teams well before an opportunity arises. Knowing how to put together a grant application is very different from being ready for underwriting, debt, or a long-term acquisition. The webinar will offer practical tools for learning to speak this second language—whether for executive directors, finance teams, or boards of directors.
Who will be in the conversation ?
Hosted by Stephan Richard, Director of Development at the Centre, this exchange will bring together Lena Courcol, Director of Acquisitions, and Garth Davis, Partner at New Market Funds. Whether your organization is preparing its first acquisition, planning for growth, or simply wants to better understand investor expectations, this hour with seasoned specialists will be well worth your time.
Register now to ask your questions and leave with practical takeaways before your next financial opportunity presents itself.
October 22, 2026, from 1:00 to 2:00 PM (ET) / 2:00 to 3:00 PM (AT)
Webinar offered in English and French, with simultaneous interpretation.
*Feature photo by Louis-Étienne Doré.
