EDMONTON, AB, July 22, 2026 /CNW/ -- Far too many Canadians are struggling to find homes they can afford. Solving Canada's housing crisis requires immediate action to bring down costs, cut red tape, and build homes more quickly. The Government of Canada is stepping up with a bold new approach to build affordable housing across the country. We are focused on building great neighbourhoods that Canadians want to, and can afford to live in.

Central to that work, the Government of Canada has launched Build Canada Homes, which is helping increase the pace of affordable homebuilding. Build Canada Homes is also helping fight homelessness by building transitional and supportive housing – working with provinces, territories, municipalities, and Indigenous communities. It is building deeply affordable and community housing for low-income households, and partnering with private market developers to build affordable homes for the Canadian middle class.

As part of the Government of Canada's broader efforts to respond to the housing crisis, investments are being made across the housing continuum to respond to the needs of communities across Canada.

Today, the federal government, announced federal funding of $30 million through the Affordable Housing Fund for 70 new townhomes in southeast Edmonton. Located at 909 Ogilvie Boulevard NW, the homes are being constructed on a two acre infill surplus school site, which has been identified for use to construct affordable housing. The new homes will be located close to amenities for residents, like transit, grocery stores, recreation centres, libraries and parks. Construction is expected to be complete in December 2027.

The announcement was made by Matt Jeneroux, Member of Parliament for Edmonton Riverbend on behalf of the Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development, alongside Andrew Knack, Mayor of the City of Edmonton, Nick Lilley, CEO, HomeEd and Johnathan Lay, Vice President of Projects, HomeEd.

The Government of Canada is making the housing investments that will help strengthen Canadian supply chains and create good jobs at every step of the homebuilding process – helping to build more homes and a stronger Canadian economy at the same time.

Quotes:

"This project shows what can be achieved when partners work together toward a common goal. By transforming a former school site into affordable housing, and with strong collaboration among our partners, we are creating new homes while building a more inclusive and sustainable community." – Matt Jeneroux, Member of Parliament for Edmonton Riverbend on behalf of the Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development

"These homes will make a massive difference to the Edmonton families that will live here. This project also shows why Edmonton's affordable housing inventory has grown by more than 40 per cent since 2019. With early investment in affordable housing, we create shovel-ready projects that other orders of government can support." – Andrew Knack, Mayor, City of Edmonton

"This project is further progress towards HomeEd's vision of reimagining affordable living in Edmonton. We are delighted to bring greater housing affordability to this beautiful neighborhood, while continuing to raise the bar on accessibility, quality and environmental sustainability. We are so grateful to our partners for helping bring this vision to reality." – Nick Lilley, Chief Executive Officer, HomeEd

Quick Facts:

• The Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) provided funding through low-interest and/or forgivable loans or contributions to partnered organizations for new affordable housing and the renovation and repair of existing, affordable and community housing. This was a $16.1 billion program under the National Housing Strategy (NHS) that gave priority to projects that help people who need it most, including women and children fleeing family violence, seniors, Indigenous Peoples, people living with disabilities, those with mental health or addiction issues, Veterans, and young adults. The application portal for AHF is now closed as all funding has been committed.
  • As of March 2026, the Government of Canada has committed $15.83 billion to support the creation of over 61,700 units and the repair of over 174,700 units through the Affordable Housing Fund.
  • On September 19, 2025, the Government of Canada announced $1.5 billion top-up in loans for the AHF's New Construction Stream, to support the creation of over 5,000 new units starting in 2025-26. Additionally, the AHF's Rapid Housing Sub-Stream will be accelerated, by pulling $385 million in funding from future years. 
• Funding provided for Ogilvie Ridge is as follows:
  • $30 million from the federal government through the Affordable Housing Fund
  • The City of Edmonton provided the land for the development, plus $1.25M in servicing costs and another $3.5M in construction funding
  • $6.3 million from HomeEd

Additional Information:

• Visit canada.ca/housing for the most-requested Government of Canada housing information. 
• Build Canada Homes is ready to partner with organizations committed to increasing the supply of affordable housing across Canada. Learn more about the portal and the Investment Policy Framework.
• Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) is a federal Crown corporation and the foundation of Canada's housing system. For over 80 years, CMHC has supported the functioning of housing markets across the country through housing finance solutions — including mortgage loan insurance and securitization — while providing trusted, unbiased data, research and market intelligence to inform policy and decision making. Through its national presence, deep expertise in housing economics and finance, and a system-wide perspective, CMHC helps foster a more stable, well-functioning housing market that supports households, communities and the broader economy.
• Follow CMHC on X, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.  

SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)