$1.5-billion rental protection fund opens intake

A $1.5-billion federal fund intended to protect existing affordable rental housing has opened its intake process for community housing providers.

Build Canada Homes said in a release posted September 23 that the Canadian Housing Acquisition Fund was selected through an open competition to deploy investments from the Canada Rental Protection Fund.

The money is intended to help non-profit, co-operative and other community housing providers acquire and renew rental properties at risk of losing affordability. Repaid funds are to be reinvested in future acquisitions, and the manager is expected to attract additional money from charitable organizations, private investors and governments.

The federal government says the fund could protect 7,000 homes during its first five years. That is a potential outcome, not a guaranteed count: the government notes that it depends on market conditions and available acquisition opportunities.

The Canadian Housing Acquisition Fund has opened an online portal and organizational pre-qualification process. Eligibility, affordability requirements and application information are available from the fund manager.

Source: Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, September 23, 2026.

File photo of an affordable-housing building in London, Ontario: Scott Webb via Unsplash, under the Unsplash License. Resized; not a property acquired by the fund.