Non-market housing is housing protected from market forces, meaning more affordable rents and prices over the long-term. It makes up a small fraction of Canadian homes, much of it built many decades ago and in need of repairs.

We need to protect, repair, and build more non-market housing to serve a range of incomes and needs and to guarantee affordability on a more permanent basis, backed by large government investments.

This includes both shelters, transitional and social housing to serve the most vulnerable, and a full array of rental and ownership options delivered via public, non-profit or price-regulated private ownership models to serve a broad cross-section of society.

The ability to scale up non-market housing is impacted by conditions in the regular market like land and construction costs, and even massive new investments in non-market housing would leave most Canadians reliant on private options. This is why scaling up non- market housing and fixing the regular market go hand in hand.

Under this first pillar are 3 policy categories for scaling up non-market housing:

Policy Category 1: Protect & Upgrade Existing Non-Market Homes

The first priority must be to ensure that existing non- market housing is maintained by investing in necessary repairs, including accessibility and climate upgrades.

For example, Canada’s National Housing Strategy is currently aiming to repair and upgrade 240,000 community and affordable housing units through the National Housing Co-Investment Fund.

Remaining repair backlogs need to be identified and addressed.

Policy Category 2: Create New Non-Market Homes

Widespread trends of worsening affordability in the regular market make it increasingly important to create new non-market homes for Canadians.

This will require large and ongoing investments by all levels of government in the form of donated land, loans, and capital, as well as “inclusionary zoning” provisions that require a certain number of non-market homes be included in market developments (often in exchange for increased density), and incentives and programs to convert existing market housing to non-market tenure.

The entire spectrum of non-market housing needs to be expanded including shelters, transitional and social housing, and a full array of rental and ownership options for low and middle income earners.

Housing co-ops, land trusts, municipal and nonprofit housing corporations are all examples of non-market housing, as are private market homes with covenants or other mechanisms guaranteeing a degree of long-term affordability.

Affordability guarantees can range from strong (e.g. where costs are tied to incomes or inflation) to less strong (e.g. where costs float at some percentage below market value).

Policy Category 3: Create Strategies to Serve the Most Vulnerable

Safe, adequate and affordable housing is crucial for protecting the health and well being of vulnerable individuals and families including women and children fleeing domestic violence, seniors, young adults, Indigenous peoples, homeless people, people with disabilities, those dealing with mental health and addiction issues, veterans, racialized groups, and newcomers.

However, housing services are often only as good as the wrap-around services that are also there to support them, including addiction and mental health supports, assisted living and physical supports, language and cultural supports, employment supports, protections against violence, etc.

Creating specific, integrated housing and support strategies for and with vulnerable populations will ensure the best outcomes for these groups and make the most of every housing dollar spent.

When there isn’t enough dedicated non-market and affordable housing to meet the need, income supports such as rental assistance and renters’ benefits need to be expanded to fill the gap.