Canada and Northwest Territories partner to build more homes and essential infrastructure

YELLOWKNIFE, NT, July 27, 2026 /CNW/ -- Building a strong Canada starts with increasing housing supply, strengthening infrastructure, and supporting growing communities.

To advance these shared goals, the governments of Canada and the Northwest Territories have entered into two agreements that will help deliver affordable housing and support critical infrastructure for Northerners. Together, these partnerships will deliver over $655 million in housing and infrastructure.

As part of this collaboration, Build Canada Homes (BCH) and Housing Northwest Territories (Housing NWT) have reached an agreement in principle to support the delivery of at least 560 affordable housing units through a planned combined investment of approximately $480 million. The housing portfolio will include at least 380 social housing units, approximately 130 affordable housing units, and 50 transitional or supportive housing units, helping meet a range of housing needs.

This agreement will also support partnership opportunities between the federal government, the GNWT and developers, including Indigenous governments and organizations, non-profit organizations and the private sector.  

The governments of Canada and the Northwest Territories have also finalized an agreement under the Provincial and Territorial stream of the Build Communities Strong Fund (BCSF) to build and renew infrastructure across the territory. With this agreement in place, the Northwest Territories will receive up to $82.4 million to support infrastructure projects and priorities related to housing and post-secondary education over 10 years, as well as up to $74.5 million in health infrastructure funding over three years.

This investment will help prioritize infrastructure projects that support housing supply, strengthen community infrastructure, and improve access to health and post-secondary education facilities across the Northwest Territories.

In addition to this funding for the territorial government, the Northwest Territories is slated to receive $18.7 million in 2026-27 through the Community stream of the Build Communities Strong Fund. This stable, predictable funding supports local infrastructure priorities identified by communities, including investments in water systems, transportation networks, and community facilities.

Together, these investments will help build more homes, strengthen the infrastructure that supports them, and improve quality of life for residents throughout the territory.

Quotes

"Building more homes requires the infrastructure to support them. Through these housing and infrastructure agreements with the Northwest Territories, we are increasing housing supply and strengthening important infrastructure to help these northern communities grow stronger and thrive for years to come."
--The Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, and Minister Responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada 

"Building a stronger, more resilient country begins with investing in communities. Through these agreements with the Northwest Territories, we're taking action to build more homes, faster, and deliver the modern, reliable infrastructure Northerners need to thrive and prosper. Together, we're supporting community growth, health, and prosperity, and creating lasting opportunities throughout the NWT."
--The Honourable Rebecca Alty, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations

"Through the Build Communities Strong Fund, we are strengthening the health infrastructure that residents of the Northwest Territories rely on. These investments will improve access to safe, reliable and high-quality health care, especially in northern and remote communities so people can get the care they need, closer to home."
--The Honourable Marjorie Michel, Minister of Health

"The Government of the Northwest Territories welcomes this significant investment in housing and in the infrastructure that will support it. Safe, affordable housing is the foundation of healthy communities. Nowhere is that more important than here in the North, where the need is significant and the cost of building is among the highest in the country. This investment will help us build more homes for northerners through the delivery of more social, affordable and supportive housing, while creating new opportunities for Northerners, and strengthening communities across the territory. I want to thank the Government of Canada for recognizing the North's unique realities and for making this meaningful investment in one of our government's highest priorities."
--The Honourable Lucy Kuptana, Minister Responsible for Housing Northwest Territories, Government of the Northwest Territories

"In the North, our communities succeed when we take care of each other and the places we call home. Truly reliable infrastructure means ensuring clean, dependable water in our taps, safe wastewater systems that protect our land, and warm and welcoming community spaces where we can gather. By investing directly in these essentials, alongside strong transportation links to keep us connected, we are laying the groundwork for safe new housing and a secure, healthy future for all NWT residents and communities. This partnership with the Government of Canada recognizes the unique realities of building in the North and will help communities across the Northwest Territories grow stronger, healthier and more resilient for years to come."
--The Honourable Vince McKay, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs and Minister of Infrastructure, Government of the Northwest Territories

"Healthy communities depend on strong, reliable health infrastructure. This investment will help strengthen and improve the facilities and systems that support quality health care services across the Northwest Territories. As our communities grow, modern health infrastructure is essential to ensuring Northerners can access safe, high-quality care close to home. We welcome this partnership with the Government of Canada, which recognizes the importance of investing in infrastructure that supports healthy people and communities."
--The Honourable Lesa Semmler, Minister of Health and Social Services, Government of the Northwest Territories

"Capital investment and the jobs it creates are an important part of healthy, vibrant communities. Investments like this create more skilled jobs, strengthen pathways to employment and have multiplier effects on investment in the Northwest Territories. Through our partnership with the Government of Canada, we are creating new opportunities for Northerners and building the infrastructure we need for a prosperous future."
--The Honourable Caitlin Cleveland, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Government of the Northwest Territories

"Our partnership with Housing Northwest Territories is about taking action to deliver tangible results. By working alongside our partners, Build Canada Homes is making a lasting impact by supporting the delivery of hundreds of homes that range from affordable and social housing to transitional and supportive homes, while creating a strong foundation for communities across the Northwest Territories."
--Ana Bailão, Chief Executive Officer of Build Canada Homes  

Quick facts

• Build Canada Homes and Housing NWT have reached an agreement in principle to support the delivery of at least 560 housing units in the Northwest Territories. The planned investment totals more than $480 million, including $200 million from BCH, $190 million from the GNWT, and $90.5 million from other funding sources including private capital.
• Launched on September 14, 2025, BCH is Canada's new federal agency, with the mandate to scale up the supply of affordable housing. By leveraging public land, flexible financial tools, and modern methods of construction, the agency is catalysing a more productive and innovative homebuilding industry.
• The Government of Canada is investing a total of $156,918,000 as part of the BCSF agreement with the Northwest Territories.
• The BCSF is investing $51 billion in a wide range of infrastructure projects across the country through three major streams:
  • A Provincial and Territorial stream, which provides $17.2 billion over 10 years, including $5 billion in health infrastructure funding over three years;
  • A Direct Delivery stream, which provides $6 billion over 10 years, including $1 billion over 4 years as part of a Local Impact Stream that is being delivered by Canada's Regional Development Agencies; and,
  • A Community stream (formerly the Canada Community-Building Fund), which provides $27.8 billion over 10 years and, is indexed at 2% to deliver $3 billion per year ongoing.
• The BCSF Provincial and Territorial stream is an allocation-based stream that provides funding to provinces and territories to support new and renewed public infrastructure. The allocations consist of a base amount for each province and territory, combined with a per capita calculation using 2021 Statistics Canada Census data.
• The BCSF Direct Delivery stream continues to accept applications for shovel ready projects until August 12, 2026 for project applications from Indigenous and Territorial applicants, through the Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada Applicant Portal . Detailed instructions on how to submit an application are available on the Build Communities Strong Fund Direct Delivery website.

Associated links

• Build Canada Homes
• Build Communities Strong Fund 
• Prime Minister Carney launches the Build Communities Strong Fund and announces the first tranche of projects 

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SOURCE Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

Contacts: For more information (media only), please contact: Arianna Durgerian, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada, [email protected]; Media Relations, Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, 613-960-9251, Toll free: 1-877-250-7154, Email: [email protected]; Housing NWT: Email: [email protected], GNWT Cabinet Communications: Email: [email protected]