WHITEHORSE, YT, Aug. 7, 2026 /CNW/ -- Far too many Canadians are struggling to find homes they can afford. Solving Canada's housing crisis requires immediate action to bring down costs, cut red tape, and build homes more quickly. The Government of Canada is stepping up with a bold new approach to build affordable housing across the country. We are focused on building great neighbourhoods that Canadians want to, and can afford to live in.
Central to that work, the Government of Canada has launched Build Canada Homes, which is helping increase the pace of affordable homebuilding. Build Canada Homes is also helping fight homelessness by building transitional and supportive housing – working with provinces, territories, municipalities, and Indigenous communities. It is building deeply affordable and community housing for low-income households, and partnering with private market developers to build affordable homes for the Canadian middle class.
As part of the Government of Canada's broader efforts to respond to the housing crisis, investments are being made across the housing continuum to respond to the needs of communities across Canada.
Today, the federal government, along with the Government of Yukon and Kwanlin Dün First Nation announced up to $26.5 million to renovate and upgrade homes throughout the First Nation community. This includes up to $12.5 million in funding through the Canada Greener Affordable Housing (CGAH) program, $10 million through Natural Resources Canada's Greener Neighbourhoods Pilot Program and $4 million from Yukon Energy Mines and Resources through the Good Energy Batch Residential Retrofit Program.
The project consists of up to 100 single-family homes that will undergo energy retrofit measures, which are expected to improve energy efficiency by 47 percent and decrease Green House Gas emissions by 79 percent, while also increasing comfort for residents. These improvements are expected to result in energy savings of more than $190,000 per year. The homes will receive a range of upgrades, including improved insulation, new windows, heat pumps, heat recovery ventilators, air sealing, draft-proofing measures, and electrical system improvements.
This multi-year project will see approximately 50 homes upgraded in 2026 and a further 50 homes completed by the end of 2027. In addition to improving housing quality and reducing energy use, the project is designed to support local businesses, create employment opportunities, and contribute to a cleaner, greener future for Kwanlin Dün First Nation
The announcement was made by Brendan Hanley, Member of Parliament for Yukon and Parliamentary Secretary for the Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs, on behalf of the Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada, and the Honourable Tim Hodgson Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, alongside the Honourable Ted Laking, Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources and Minister responsible for the Yukon Development Corporation, and Chief Sean Smith, Kwanlin Dün First Nation.
The Government of Canada is making the housing investments that will help strengthen Canadian supply chains and create good jobs at every step of the homebuilding process – helping to build more homes and a stronger Canadian economy at the same time.
Quotes:
"Our Government is committed to helping communities reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions, while modernizing their aging, affordable housing stock. With our partners, Kwalin Dün First Nation and the Yukon government, we are helping to make homes in the community more sustainable, affordable, and comfortable for current residents and for future generations." – Brendan Hanley, Member of Parliament for Yukon and Parliamentary Secretary for the Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs
"Canadians deserve homes they can afford to live in and afford to heat. These upgrades will lower energy costs, improve comfort and extend the life of homes in Kwanlin Dün First Nation. Our government is delivering practical solutions that make life more affordable for families and strengthen communities across the North." – The Honourable Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Canada
"Partnerships like this one highlight the resilience, ingenuity and cooperation of the Yukon. Together with Kwanlin Dün First Nation, and the Government of Canada, we can work swiftly and effectively to address the energy and housing needs in the Yukon." – The Honourable Ted Laking, Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources and Minister responsible for the Yukon Development Corporation
"Funding from the Canada Greener Affordable Housing Program is allowing KDFN to meet our goals to provide safe, secure, affordable and sustainable housing for our Citizens and their families, now and into the future. 100 houses will be retrofit under this program to improve the indoor quality and reduce costs for citizens in our danaajè/neighbourhood." – Chief Sean Uyenets'echᶖa Smith, Kwanlin Dün First Nations
Quick Facts:
- The Canada Greener Affordable Housing Program (CGAH) provided $1.2 billion to make multi-unit rental housing serving low- and moderate-income households more energy efficient and environmentally friendly.
- CGAH was a financing program to help community housing providers complete deep energy retrofits on their multi-unit residential buildings, improving their quality and adapting homes to the effects of climate change and extreme weather events leading to deep reductions in energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
- CGAH provided contributions for pre-retrofit activities needed to plan, prepare, and apply for retrofit funding as well as forgivable and low-interest loans to help finance building retrofits and activities needed to meet climate objectives. The application portal is now closed as all funding has been committed.
- Funding provided for Kwalin Dün First Nation is as follows:
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- Up to $12.5 million from the federal government, through the Canada Greener Affordable Housing program
- $10 million from Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) through the Greener Neighbourhoods Pilot Program
- $4 million from Yukon Energy Mines and Resources through the Good Energy Batch Residential Retrofit Program
- $75,000 from Energy Mines and Resources
Additional Information:
- Visit canada.ca/housing for the most-requested Government of Canada housing information.
- Build Canada Homes is ready to partner with organizations committed to increasing the supply of affordable housing across Canada. Learn more about the portal and the Investment Policy Framework.
- Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) is a federal Crown corporation and the foundation of Canada's housing system. For over 80 years, CMHC has supported the functioning of housing markets across the country through housing finance solutions -- including mortgage loan insurance and securitization -- while providing trusted, unbiased data, research and market intelligence to inform policy and decision making. Through its national presence, deep expertise in housing economics and finance, and a system-wide perspective, CMHC helps foster a more stable, well-functioning housing market that supports households, communities and the broader economy.
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SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)
Contacts: Arianna Durgerian, Office of the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, [email protected]; Media Relations, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, [email protected]
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