Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund

On this page

• About the Canadian Housing Infrastructure Fund
• CHIF details
• CHIF in the provinces and territories
• How to apply
  • Applicant Guide
  • Register
  • Apply
• Webinars for applicants
• Frequently asked questions
• Contact us

About the Canadian Housing Infrastructure Fund

Increasing housing supply and accommodating community growth requires adequate water and solid waste infrastructure to continue delivering essential services to people living in Canada.

On April 16, 2024, the Government of Canada released Budget 2024 which provided $6 billion in federal funding over 10 years to establish the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF).

CHIF aims to accelerate the construction and upgrading of housing-enabling drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and solid-waste infrastructure, directly supporting the creation of new homes and increasing densification. This investment is part of the Government of Canada's commitment to address the impacts of the housing crisis on communities of all sizes across Canada.

CHIF details

The CHIF program is delivered through two funding streams:

Housing conditions

CHIF's direct delivery stream requires municipalities to implement measures to promote new housing supply and denser neighbourhoods.  To be eligible to apply, municipalities and regional governments in the provinces will be required to have adopted two conditions prior to submitting an application under either CHIF stream:

1. Adopt zoning for "four units as-of-right" per lot in all low-density residential areas with municipal servicing (i.e., water and sewer) in communities with populations greater than 30,000; and
2. Implement a three-year freeze on increasing development charges above the rates that were in effect as of April 2, 2024 (when CHIF was initially announced) in municipalities or regional governments with populations greater than 300,000, according to Statistics Canada (see list of affected municipalities in Annex B of the Applicant Guide).

Note: The above-noted conditions do not apply to municipalities in the territories or to Indigenous applicants.

Under the provincial and territorial agreement stream, the provinces will require municipalities and regional governments to implement the two measures listed above. In addition, provinces and territories will be required to commit to the following key housing-enabling actions:

3. Work with Canada to develop the federal housing design catalogue and support municipalities in implementing measures to enable the adoption of standardized designs within 18 months of the catalogue's publication;
4. Implement the 2025 and future National Model Codes within 18 months of their publication—as per the Reconciliation Agreement on Construction Codes—work with Canada to support the exploration of housing supply actions, such as single egress construction, modular construction, tiny homes, and code digitalization, which are already under consideration for the 2030 codes update; and
5. Endorse the federal government's blueprint for a Renters' Bill of Rights and Home Buyers' Bill of Rights, to strengthen renting and home buying systems, including the Bills’ overarching principles, which are: ensuring everyone has a safe and affordable place to call home, fostering fairness and transparency, addressing inequity and discrimination, and safeguarding the home buying and renting systems.

CHIF application process: Choosing the appropriate stream

Eligible applicants can apply to either stream, or both streams, depending on their infrastructure needs. However, applicants cannot  receive funding from both streams for the same project. 

CHIF's direct delivery stream is intended for projects with a high level of readiness, as projects must be substantially completed by September 2031. This stream is meant to support pressing infrastructure needs in communities to increase housing development. Projects under the direct delivery stream must be between $1 million and $100 million in total eligible costs. To apply, municipalities subject to housing conditions must have already met the housing conditions set out by CHIF (housing conditions 1 and 2 as outlined above).

CHIF's provincial and territorial agreement stream is intended for projects in their respective province or territory. Under this stream, provinces will be required to contribute a minimum of 33% of eligible expenditures to each project.

Applicants seeking support for long-term infrastructure projects that enable housing are encouraged to apply under the provincial and territorial agreement stream.

CHIF in the provinces and territories

On September 13, 2024, the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, Sean Fraser, called on all provinces and territories to commit to the actions above that will increase Canada's housing supply, in exchange for funding through CHIF.

Provinces will have until January 1, 2025, to secure an agreement, and territories will have until April 1, 2025. Allocation funding for those provinces and territories that do not finalize an agreement by the required date will be made available to municipalities, Indigenous communities, and other eligible recipients through the direct delivery stream.

Over the next 10 years, upon signature of the agreements, CHIF will invest the following amounts in each province and territory:

How to apply

Under CHIF, eligible projects include planning or capital projects that would build or upgrade drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, or solid-waste infrastructure to enable more housing. Applicants with pressing infrastructure needs (where infrastructure is a barrier to increasing housing supply) are encouraged to apply under the direct delivery stream.

• Step One: Read the Applicant Guide

  Before applying, applicants are strongly encouraged to consult the Applicant Guide. The guide will provide detailed information on CHIF direct delivery stream, including applicant and project eligibility requirements, merit criteria, federal requirements, and other conditions of funding.

  Indigenous communities or organizations should refer to the Indigenous Applicant Guide (coming soon) as some eligibility requirements differ for Indigenous applicants.

• Step Two: Register to create an account

  Applicants must register for a secure account on the HICC Funding Portal before they can apply for funding from the CHIF. Once applicants have created a secure account, they will be able to access the CHIF application form for completion. The HICC Funding Portal provides applicants with a "My Dashboard" feature. This feature allows applicants to create, save, edit and submit their applications. It also allows applicants to see a list of any other project applications that their organization has submitted for funding.

  Applications will only be accepted electronically through the HICC Funding Portal. Applicants who are unable to apply through the portal are asked to reach out to the CHIF team at chif-fcil@infc.gc.ca.

  Refer to the following webpage for instructions on creating a secure account.

• Step Three: Apply for CHIF funding

  Once a secure account in the HICC Funding Portal has been created, the option to apply for CHIF funding becomes available. To do this:

  1. Click on Apply for Funding. Upon doing so, account administrators are provided with a list of HICC funding programs from which to choose.
  2. Click on the Apply button located directly under the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund description.
  3. Click on the stream that you wish to apply to (Capital Project OR Planning Project).
  4. Confirm the "Privacy and Eligibility" statements:
     1. Read the Privacy and Third-Party Notice Statement and confirm that the statement has been read and understood by selecting "Yes".
     2. Read the Organization Eligibility Self-Assessment and confirm that the organization meets all the eligibility requirements for funding under CHIF, as well as that the applicant is duly authorized to submit the application on behalf of the organization by selecting "Yes". Please refer to the CHIF Applicant Guide for details on organization eligibility.

  Note: The CHIF application can be saved before submission as many times as necessary. Applicants are not required to complete the application in one session. Referring to the CHIF Step-by-Step Application Instructions (available through the Funding Portal) is highly recommended to ensure that the application is completed correctly.

  Applicants who are unable to apply through the HICC Funding Portal are asked to contact chif-fcil@infc.gc.ca. 

• Step Four: Answer additional questions

  Should an applicant's project be considered eligible, HICC may reach out to obtain additional information.

  Applicants may be asked to complete the Environmental Assessment and Indigenous Consultation Questionnaire to determine whether the proposed project must meet any federal environmental or Indigenous program requirements. Should an applicant receive such a request, applicants can use the Environmental Assessment and Indigenous Consultation Guide (coming soon).

  Applicants may also be asked to provide additional information regarding the applicant and the project for further analysis by HICC. Should that be the case, additional instructions will be provided.

• Step Five: Approvals and requirements

  When the CHIF intake closes, HICC will need time to review and assess all applications. Once projects are selected for funding, all applicants will be notified of the results of their project submissions.

  Should a project be selected to receive CHIF funding, HICC will reach out with additional information regarding next steps.

  Note that there are a number of requirements that successful applicants will need to fulfil. For more information on those requirements, please consult the "Federal requirements and reporting" section of the Applicant Guide.

Webinars for applicants

Join one of our webinars to learn more about the CHIF direct delivery stream, including, eligibility requirements and how to develop and submit an application. These sessions will also offer attendees an opportunity to ask questions.

If you are interested in registering for a webinar, please email us your request at chifwebinar-webinairefcil@infc.gc.ca. You will receive an email reply with available dates to choose from and the short registration form to complete.

Webinars will take place on the following dates:

•  November 5, 2024, at 1:00 PM EST in English; and at 2:30 PM EST in French.
•  November 27, 2024 at 1:00 PM EST in English; and at 2:30 PM EST in French.

Sessions for Indigenous Applicants will be held on:

• November 20, 2024 at 1:00 PM EST in English; and at 2:30 PM EST in French.
• December 12, 2024  at 1:00 PM EST in English; and at 2:30 PM EST in French.

Places are limited so please register early.

Additional sessions will be announced in Winter and Spring, based on interest and demand.

Frequently asked questions

Application process

• What is the difference between the two Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF) funding streams?

  Budget 2024 created the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF) to invest in effective and reliable drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and solid waste infrastructure to unlock more housing, faster.

  The direct delivery stream has an envelope of $1 billion administered by Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC). This funding is available directly to municipalities, Indigenous communities, and other eligible recipients to support pressing infrastructure needs that will directly enable housing supply.

  The provincial and territorial agreement stream has an envelope of $5 billion, which will be provided to the provinces and territories via agreements to support long-term priorities. The respective allocations under this envelope will be administered by the provinces and territories themselves. Under the provincial and territorial agreement stream, the provinces and territories will be responsible for identifying, prioritizing and submitting projects to HICC for consideration.

  Projects receiving funding under one stream are not eligible to receive funding from the other stream.

• How does an organization apply for CHIF Direct Delivery stream funding?

  Applications to the direct delivery stream are made on the HICC Funding Portal. Eligible applicants wanting to submit a project should read the Applicant Guide to ensure that their project is eligible. It is the responsibility of applicants to demonstrate how their projects meet the CHIF's project eligibility and merit criteria.

• Is there a limit to the number of applications that an organization can submit?

  No. There is no limit to the number of applications that an applicant can submit. However, to be eligible, a project needs to be able to achieve its intended outcomes on its own, independently of any other project.
• What types of information or data must be included in an application?

  Applications must include data that support project eligibility and merit criteria, including, but not limited to, number of housing units enabled by the project, pressing nature of the need for housing and its enabling infrastructure, densification, and ability to advance other national priorities (e.g., climate-change mitigation, resilience, etc.). For more information, please consult the Applicant Guide.
• Does an organization have to apply using HICC Funding Portal or can it submit a proposal using another method (e.g., Canada Post, email, etc.)?

  HICC will only accept applications submitted via its HICC Funding Portal. For any applicants facing a challenge with that approach, please contact the CHIF team at chif-fcil@infc.gc.ca to discuss options.

Project eligibility

• What types of projects does CHIF fund?

  CHIF will fund either capital or planning projects aimed at building new, or expanding or rehabilitating existing, drinking water, wastewater, stormwater or solid waste infrastructure in order to enable more housing.

• Are projects that use natural infrastructure eligible under CHIF?

  Yes. Natural infrastructure projects that increase capacity of drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, or solid waste systems could also be eligible for funding. For example, the following components would be eligible: naturalized stormwater retention ponds, vegetated swales, or urban parks and wetlands that can manage stormwater and improve water quality by filtering harmful pollutants.

• Does CHIF support projects whose focus is on operating and maintaining existing water-related infrastructure?

  No. Costs associated with ongoing operating expenses and regularly scheduled maintenance are not eligible under CHIF.

• Will funding recipients be required to implement environmental requirements related to climate change?

  Yes. CHIF has environmental requirements related to climate change, namely with respect to climate resilience and the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions. For more information on climate-related requirements, please consult the ‘Federal requirements and reporting' section of the Applicant Guide.

  For additional guidance and advice on the climate-related requirements of the CHIF program, please contact HICC's new Climate Toolkit Helpdesk.

• Are “Community Employment Benefits” a requirement under CHIF?

  No. Community employment benefits are not a requirement under CHIF.

• Are “planning projects” eligible under the Program?

  Yes. Planning projects are eligible if the planning is for a capital project that would otherwise be eligible under CHIF. Planning costs for eligible planning projects may include feasibility studies, housing needs assessments, risk assessments, climate assessments, engineering reports, environmental impact assessments, as well as other planning work needed to advance a future capital project that would align with CHIF objectives.

• Is the acquisition of land eligible under CHIF?

  Land acquisition can be an eligible expense under CHIF, but only if it is for the development of natural infrastructure.

  For land acquisition expenses to be eligible, the land must be privately owned and not the sole component of the project. Applicants must also demonstrate the need to acquire the land as an integral part of the project for the purposes of natural infrastructure.

  Note: Funding recipients will have to demonstrate 1) that the land will remain protected for 40 years after the project is substantially completed, and 2) that the purchase price is at or below fair market value.

• When is the deadline for projects to be completed?

  Under the direct delivery stream, projects must be substantially completed by September 2031, while under the provincial and territorial agreement stream, projects must be substantially completed by September 2033. “Substantially completed” means that the project infrastructure can be used for its intended purpose (i.e., as described in the contribution agreement between the Government of Canada and the funding recipient).

Housing conditions

• What is meant by “enabling housing”?

  Under CHIF, "enabling housing" refers to increasing the capacity of communities to build more housing—by investing in the infrastructure needed to provide reliable drinking water, as well as to treat wastewater, stormwater and solid waste.

  For example, if development in an area of a city is currently limited to 200 units because of capacity constraints of the existing wastewater system, upgrading that wastewater system, with CHIF funds to a system that can process wastewater for 500 units, then that project would “enable” the development of an additional 300 units. 

• Are projects required to build new houses?

  No. Projects are not required to build new houses, but they must demonstrate that they will enable more housing to be built. CHIF has been created to accelerate the construction and upgrading of essential infrastructure to support housing development, but it will not provide funding for the construction of housing units.

• How many housing units need to be enabled to be able to apply for CHIF funding?

  There is no set number of new housing units that must be enabled by a CHIF-funded project. However, applications are expected to demonstrate that projects will directly enable increased housing supply and projects will be assessed on how well they support answering the housing needs of the community. For more information on how housing criteria factor in the assessment, please consult the ‘How will my application be assessed' section of the Applicant Guide.

• Do the housing conditions apply under the direct delivery stream?

  Yes. There are two housing conditions that must be met for a community to apply for funding under the direct delivery stream. Communities with a population of 30,000 or more and situated in one of the provinces, must have implemented zoning changes to allow for four units as-of-right. Municipalities and regions with a population of 300,000 or more, must have enacted a Development Charge freeze at the rates that were in place on or before April 2, 2024. See the ‘Housing conditions' section of the Applicant Guide for more information.

Funding

• How much CHIF funding can a recipient receive?

  Under the direct delivery stream, maximum total eligible cost for a given project should not exceed $100 million. However, there is no limit to the number of projects that can be submitted by an applicant. Projects above $100 million in total eligible costs will only be considered on a case-by-case basis, so please contact the CHIF team at chif-fcil@infc.gc.ca to discuss the project before submitting an application. For more information on federal cost sharing, please consult the ‘Project finances' section of the Applicant Guide.

  Under the provincial and territorial agreement stream, there is no maximum to the total eligible cost for a project; subject to the remaining available funds.

• Is there a minimum total eligible cost for projects under CHIF?

  Under both streams, the minimum total eligible cost for the project is at least $1 million. To provide more flexibility for Indigenous communities, the $1 million threshold does not apply to Indigenous-led projects. For more information on eligible costs, please consult the ‘Budgeting for project expenses' section of the Applicant Guide.

• How is the project's federal contribution determined?

  Funding amounts for projects will be determined through an assessment of the information submitted in the application and related project budget. Funding amounts are subject to cost sharing and stacking limits, as well as other sources of funding available to the recipient. See the ‘Federal contribution' section of the Applicant Guide for more information.

• Is CHIF funding stackable with other funding sources (e.g., federal, provincial and municipal)?

  Yes. CHIF funding is stackable with other funding sources, including federal, provincial and municipal ones. However, total funding from all levels of government (including municipal, provincial, territorial and federal) cannot exceed 100% of total project costs, and total federal government funding cannot exceed 100% of total eligible project costs under this program.

  Applicants are responsible for considering the eligibility criteria and funding limits from all HICC (and other) funding programs, as project costs cannot be duplicated across multiple programs and the lowest stacking limits of other programs may apply to the project.

Project selection and approval

• When can applicants expect to find out if their projects have been chosen to receive funding?

  Once funding decisions are available, all applicants will be informed of the results of their respective applications. The CHIF team will be available to provide feedback should an applicant request it. HICC cannot provide precise timelines as to when applicants will be informed of funding decisions.

• When can successful applicants begin incurring costs?

  Eligible project expenditures will only be reimbursed if they are incurred after the project has been approved. There are some exceptions, please consult the ‘Budgeting for project expenses' section of the Applicant Guide to learn more.

• Will successful applicants receive funding as soon as their project is approved?

  Successful applicants will begin to receive funding once funding agreements (i.e., contribution agreements) are in place (i.e., signed by both parties) and, where applicable, once environmental assessment requirements and Indigenous consultation obligations have been met and continue to be met.

Contact us

For any question that cannot be answered by reading the Applicant Guide or the FAQs, please contact: chif-fcil@infc.gc.ca.