Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, on behalf of the federal government’s Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), is cutting a cheque for $22.8 million, payable to the City of Calgary, to generate more housing in the city.
The money is in addition to the $228.5 million the feds sent to Calgary as a bribe to abolish areas zoned for single-family homes only, better known as blanket upzoning, as well as for reaching more than 80% of the city’s target for new homes.
“In November 2023, the Government of Canada and the city entered into an agreement under HAF to fast track more than 6,800 housing units above Calgary’s annual baseline over three years,” said the city in a statement.
“As of February 28, 2025, the city has reached 83% of our original target, with 34,594 out of 41,858 units, within the first year of a four-year contract,” adding the additional funds will support “housing initiatives in Calgary’s downtown and incentivize more secondary suites across the city.”
"Calgary is undergoing unprecedented growth, showcasing the city's opportunities, vibrancy and solid economy. However, this rapid expansion significantly impacts our ability to provide homes for Calgarians and those wanting to make a home here,” said Mayor Jyoti Gondek in the statement.
“The Government of Canada's additional $22.8 million investment is vital for us to meet these extraordinary demands. I am committed to working closely with federal and provincial governments, the private sector and nonprofit organizations to continue creating more homes across Calgary."
The funds arrive after four record-breaking years of new home construction starts in the city and large numbers of interprovincial migrants, primarily from Ontario and BC, arriving in the city.
The city’s statement says, in 2024 alone, more than 90,000 people moved to Calgary and the city saw “remarkable growth in building permit numbers and residential permits, recording the highest housing starts in Canada with 20,165 units, setting a record and making 2024 the first year Calgary surpassed 20,000 units.”
The newly appointed chief housing officer for the city, Reid Hendry, estimates the new money will cover the costs of 800 more homes in the city.
“We are grateful to the federal government for this continued investment through HAF and rewarding the city’s efforts to increase housing supply, choice and affordability for all Calgarians,” said Hendry in the statement. “Calgary is Canada’s leader in housing, but despite record housing starts and completions, we need to do more.”
“Growth continues to outpace supply. Thousands of Calgarians are still struggling to afford housing or find housing that meets their needs. Funding from other levels of government is crucial in our efforts to address the housing crisis in Calgary.”
The original HAF funding of $228.5 million was targetted “to support seven initiatives that include accelerating housing downtown, investing in transit-oriented development, streamlining housing approvals, incentivizing secondary suites, funding infrastructure, and supporting non-market housing development,” read the city’s statement, adding, “through actioning these initiatives and implementing Home is Here: Calgary’s Housing Strategy, the city is exceeding our HAF housing target.”