Canada Unveils Nearly $30 Billion Plan to End Homelessness Within a Decade
Minister of Indigenous Services Mandy Gull-Masty and MP Lori Idlout announced Budget 2026's nearly $30 billion initiative to end homelessness in Canada within 10 years, featuring major investments in housing benefits, supportive homes, and infrastructure upgrades in Iqaluit.
On November 7, 2026, Minister of Indigenous Services Mandy Gull-Masty and Member of Parliament Lori Idlout visited Iqaluit, Nunavut, to highlight Budget 2026’s plan to end homelessness in Canada within 10 years. The federal initiative is backed by nearly $30 billion in funding.
A central component of the plan is a $10 billion allocation through Build Canada Homes to support the delivery of about 25,000 supportive and transitional homes across the country. Additionally, $5.5 billion has been allocated to renew the Canada Housing Benefit, which provides direct monthly rental assistance to low-income Canadians, including survivors of gender-based violence.
The budget also dedicates $6.5 billion to renew and strengthen the Reaching Home Initiative and to support efforts addressing veteran homelessness. These programs are intended to back community-led efforts to prevent homelessness and connect people with essential services.
To address the intersection of housing and health, $5 billion will fund a new Integrated Supports Fund for building facilities that combine housing with health care and social services. A further $2 billion is allocated to the Build Communities Strong Fund’s Health Infrastructure Fund to build or refurbish community mental health and addictions treatment facilities. Models integrating these supports, such as Toronto’s Dunn House, have been associated with reductions in emergency room visits for residents.
In Iqaluit, specific investments in enhanced trucked and utilidor infrastructure are expected to improve the capacity to deliver reliable water and sewer services. These upgrades will enable the development of 2,000 to 2,500 new housing units by 2031.