FAQs

The Housing Accelerator Fund is designed to help local governments cut red tape and fast track at least 100,000 permitted new homes over the first three years, which cities and regions estimate will lead to the creation of almost 600,000 permitted new homes for people in towns, cities, and Indigenous communities across Canada over the next decade. 

The Housing Accelerator Fund asks for innovative action plans from local governments, and once approved, provides upfront funding to ensure the timely building of new homes, as well as additional funds upon delivering results. 

Local governments are encouraged to think big and be bold in their approaches, which could include accelerating project timelines, allowing increased housing density, and encouraging affordable housing units.

Launched in March 2023, the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) is a $4 billion initiative from the Government of Canada that will run until 2026-27. 

The Housing Accelerator Fund is part of Canada’s National Housing Strategy (NHS), an $82+ billion plan to give more Canadians a place to call home. 

As of September 30, 2023, the Government of Canada has committed over $38.89 billion to support the creation of almost 152,000 units and the repair of over 241,000 units. These measures prioritize those in greatest need, including seniors, Indigenous Peoples, people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and women and children fleeing violence.

 The Wolfville plan includes:

1. Exclusionary Zoning Reform – promoting and allowing more housing types.
2. Public education – share our housing needs, identify needs across the spectrum and systemic changes required to improve the housing situation. 
3. Reduce discretionary and political approval (as-of-right zoning), appropriately zone properties, waive fees, reduce parking requirements.
4. Work with Acadia to create a Student Housing Strategy, identify “investment ready” projects, create purpose-built student housing.
5. Enable more non-market options by forming a working group with stakeholders, create a non-market strategy, affordable housing grant program, and a land bank. 
6. Implement inclusionary zoning to increase non-market supply and make housing projects more economically viable.