Canada supports improvements to affordable rental homes in Yarmouth

Government of Canada logo (CNW Group/Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC))

CMHC logo (CNW Group/Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC))

YARMOUTH, NS, Feb. 19, 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 Nova Scotia, announced more than $2.9 million to support retrofits and upgrades to James Street, located at 8 James Street in Yarmouth.

The announcement was made by Chris d'Entremont, Member of Parliament for Acadie--Annapolis, on behalf of the Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada, Nick Hilton, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia for Yarmouth, alongside Pam Mood, Mayor of Yarmouth.

Quotes:

"Our Government is committed to helping communities reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions, including in their aging affordable housing stock. This project will make more homes in Yarmouth more sustainable, affordable, and comfortable for future generations." – The Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada

"Projects like these make their communities better, and better communities benefit us all. Our government is proud to have been a part of making this happen. This is more evidence of what we can do, as a country, when we work together." – Chris d'Entremont, Member of Parliament for Acadie--Annapolis

"Each affordable home strengthens our community. Preserving and converting the housing we have is just as important as building new ones. By working closely with the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia, we're opening the door for more Yarmouth residents to find an affordable place to call home." – Nick Hilton, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia for Yarmouth

"Like many small Canadian towns, Yarmouth needs more affordable housing, and we've made strong progress over the past two years. The AHANS project at 8 James Street shows how a building with deep community roots can be repurposed to provide homes for our residents. With today's announcement, the property will receive energy‑efficient upgrades that preserve its character. We're grateful for the support as we continue to expand Yarmouth's housing stock." – Pam Mood, Mayor of Yarmouth

"The Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia is privileged to be a trusted partner of the province and the federal government in these essential retrofits, which help support the ecosystem of work needed to increase the supply of affordable housing and decrease the inflow of people into homelessness in our province." – Michael Kabalen, Executive Director of the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia

Quick Facts:

• The Canada Greener Affordable Housing Fund (CGAH) was providing $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 James Street is as follows:
  • $1.47 million from the federal government, through the Canada Greener Affordable Housing program
  • $1.45 million from Nova Scotia's Department of Growth and Development
  • $100,000 from the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia
  • $97,680 from Efficiency Nova Scotia
  • $50,000 from the Town of Yarmouth

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.

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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]