In this episode, we discuss Canada’s new Federal Acquisition Fund: what it is in theory, what we need in practice, and the years of advocacy that got us to this announcement. Given the housing emergency, how do we effectively advocate for policies that allow us to acquire at-risk buildings and keep our neighbors housed?
With Joshua Barndt, Executive Director of the Parkdale Neighbourhood Land Trust; Thom Armstrong, Chief Executive Officer at Co-operative Housing Federation of BC; Mike Bulthuis, Executive Director of the Ottawa Community Land Trust; and Shekara Grant, founder of the Weymouth Falls Community Land Trust and Program Manager, Community Housing Transformation Centre.
Notes:
In April 2024, the federal government announced a new fund to protect existing affordable units across Canada, providing $1 billion in loans and $470 million in contributions to non-profit organizations and other partners to acquire and protect affordable units across Canada.
Three additional acquisition programs are referenced in the podcast:
British Columbia’s $500 million Rental Protection Fund, which provides one-time capital grants to non-profits and co-ops so they can buy existing rental buildings; Toronto’s MURA (Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition) Program; and Nova Scotia’s Community Housing Acquisition Program, which provides low-interest mortgages for acquisition of existing housing.
Hosted by the Canadian Network of Community Land Trusts
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