Canada announces the grand opening of 40 homes in Prince Rupert

PRINCE RUPERT, BC, March 26, 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.

Central to that work, the Government of Canada launched Build Canada Homes, which will help increase the pace of affordable homebuilding. Build Canada Homes will also help fight homelessness by building transitional and supportive housing – working with provinces, territories, municipalities, and Indigenous communities. It will build deeply affordable and community housing for low-income households, and partner 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, work is being done across the housing continuum to respond to the needs of communities across Canada.

Today, the federal government, along with the province of British Columbia, City of Prince Rupert and Aurora Housing Society announced over $14 million in combined funding to help build 40 secure, rental homes in Prince Rupert. These homes were designed and delivered using modular construction. They were constructed off-site in a controlled manufacturing environment, improving efficiency, reducing construction waste, and minimizing on-site disruption. The modular components were then transported to the site and installed, significantly compressing the on-site construction schedule compared to traditional builds, while addressing a shortage of local available trades.

The announcement was made by the Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada alongside, Herb Pond, Mayor for the City of Prince Rupert, Glenn Pollock, Director of Aurora Housing Society and Jeff Brown, Executive Vice President, NorthStar Development.

Quotes:

"Our Government is committed to working with communities and all levels of government to provide the support they need to increase pace of affordable homebuilding. The innovative building methods used for this project demonstrate how we are addressing housing challenges more quickly to ensure every Canadian has a place to call home." –The Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada

"These new homes will make a real difference for people in Prince Rupert. By working with partners, we're creating more housing options for people who keep this community running – whether in health care, port operations or small businesses. Everyone deserves a stable home that allows them to put down roots and thrive in the place they call home" –Christine Boyle, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs.

"Housing, and especially affordable housing, is a critical need in our community to support the people who live here and attract new residents. The City was happy for the opportunity to support a project like Estrella that is delivering new units in record time." – Herb Pond, Mayor of the City of Prince Rupert

"For many people working in Prince Rupert, finding stable rental housing has been a real challenge. Estrella helps close that gap by providing safe, functional, and modern homes that support individuals and families who are essential to the community by creating housing people can rely on." – Glenn Pollock, Director of Aurora Housing Society

"Estrella shows what is possible when innovation is applied to real housing needs and the realities of smaller remote communities. By using modular construction, we were able to deliver new rental homes faster and more efficiently, while maintaining the standards expected for long-term rental housing. This model is especially well-suited to communities like Prince Rupert, where timely delivery and workforce housing are critical." – Jeff Brown, Executive Vice President, NorthStar Development

Quick Facts:

• The $55 billion Apartment Construction Loan Program (ACLP) is providing low-cost financing to support more than 131,000 new rental homes across Canada by 2031 – 2032.
  • The ACLP provides fully repayable low-interest loans to encourage the construction of more rentals for middle-class Canadians. It creates a positive impact to the housing system at minimal cost to taxpayers.
  • A stable supply of purpose-built rental housing is essential for more people in Canada to have access to housing that meets their needs.
  • As of September 2025, CMHC has committed $28.15 billion in loans through ACLP to support the creation of more than 71,400 rental homes.
  • It is one of many programs and initiatives under the National Housing Strategy designed to help address housing needs across the housing continuum.
  • It complements other NHS initiatives that focus on funding affordable housing units for lower-income households.

• The Canada-BC Builds agreement is providing approximately $5 billion in new investments from both orders of government to create at least 9,000 new rental units, including a minimum of 1,800 units that will be affordable for 35 years for middle-income Canadians living in British Columbia.
  • The total investment includes $950 million from BC in contributions and $2 billion in provincial financing, matched by $2 billion in low-cost federal repayable loans.
  • Under this agreement, BC is partnering with non-profits, local governments, First Nations, and homebuilders to identify available and underused land and, using lower government borrowing rates, offer low-cost financing to build more homes. By working together and ensuring faster approvals, streamlined administration and less red tape, some 1,000 more units will be created than if the same investments were made separately.

• Funding provided for 511 West 9 Avenue includes:
  • $10.7 million from the federal government, through the Apartment Construction Loan Program under the Canada – BC Builds Agreement
  • $4.1 million grant from the Province through BC Builds at BC Housing
  • The City of Prince Rupert is leasing the land to the society at a nominal fee.

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.
• CMHC plays a critical role as a national convenor to promote stability and sustainability in Canada's housing finance system. CMHC's mortgage insurance products support access to home ownership and the creation and maintenance of rental supply. CMHC research and data help inform housing policy. By facilitating cooperation between all levels of government, private and non-profit sectors, CMHC contributes to advancing housing affordability, equity, and climate compatibility. CMHC actively supports the Government of Canada in delivering on its commitment to make housing more affordable.
• Follow CMHC on X, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
• To watch a timelapse video of the modular installations on site at 511 west 9th Ave, visit: https://youtu.be/uWjLtfUAtUo
• To learn how B.C. is working to deliver more homes for people, visit: https://gov.bc.ca/homesforpeople
• To learn more about the BC Builds Program, visit: Homepage | BC Builds Homes
• A map showing the location of all announced provincially funded housing projects in B.C. is available online: https://www.bchousing.org/homes-for-BC

SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)

Contacts: Renée LeBlanc Proctor, Office of the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, [email protected]; Media Relations: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, [email protected]