Support for Black Canadian Community Housing

The provincial and federal governments are providing $650,000 to help create the Black Communities Housing Technical Resources Centre, which will help Black communities and Black-led organizations across Canada improve housing outcomes for Black and racialized communities.

This new national organization is being established by the Community Housing Transformation Centre. It will be based in Nova Scotia and provide supports to organizations across Canada.

“Growing the non-profit and co-operative sector is key to increasing the supply of affordable housing options and that means groups need the tools and expertise to oversee new developments and manage ongoing operations effectively,” said Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister John Lohr. “We are committed to partnering with and supporting the Black community to improve and increase the availability of safe, affordable housing for people of African descent in communities across the province.”

The centre will build capacity in project planning, development and management to support Black community housing organizations to better access government housing programs and other investment opportunities throughout Canada.

The Technical Resources Centre will be created, managed and staffed by Black Canadians. It will provide appropriate support, counselling and expertise to Black communities across Canada by addressing racism, inequities and other challenges and by contributing to correcting the existing imbalance in capacity and access to housing development resources and financing.

Quotes:

“We have heard loud and clear from Black Canadian communities that more support is needed in the housing sector. This is why we are proud to support the creation of the Black Communities Housing Technical Resources Centre. We are making this unique investment through the National Housing Co-investment Fund for Black-led projects and projects serving Black Canadians. This is the National Housing Strategy at work.”

– Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion

“Our team looks forward to sharing its expertise with organizations of African descent and supporting the development of community housing that meets the specific needs and interests of Black Canadians.”

– Stephan Corriveau, Executive Director, Community Housing Transformation Centre

“Akoma is pleased to see that Nova Scotia – which has a 400-plus year history of communities of African descent and traditionally over 50 African Nova Scotian communities – will host the Black Communities Housing Technical Resources Centre. Black Canadians continue to face systemic racism in relation to housing. We are very happy that the new centre, which will be serving Black Canadians, will also be led by Black Canadians. It is important that those focusing on housing for Black Canadians understand the challenges we all face. We welcome this new support by both levels of government.”

– Veronica Marsman, Property Manager, Akoma

Quick Facts:

• the Community Housing Transformation Centre is a non-profit group that provides financial support and organizational development tools to community housing organizations across Canada
• the Government of Canada is providing $500,000 in funding through the National Housing Co-Investment Fund; $150,000 from the Province of Nova Scotia will also support the project
• the Community Housing Transformation Centre is committing $50,000 to kick-start the project, in addition to the provincial and federal funding
• the Government of Canada’s National Housing Strategy (NHS) is an ambitious, 10-year plan that will invest over $72 billion to give more Canadians a place to call home
• the $50 million for Black households within the National Housing Co-Investment Fund (NHCF)?seeks to encourage more applications for Black-led projects and projects serving Black households

Additional Resources:

The Community Housing Transformation Centre: https://centre.support/

A Healthy Nova Scotia: Solutions for Housing and Homelessness: https://beta.novascotia.ca/documents/solutions-housing-and-homelessness/

Mandate letter of the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing: https://novascotia.ca/exec_council/letters-2021/ministerial-mandate-letter-2021-MAH-EMO-MR.pdf

Nova Scotia Affordable Housing Commission Report: https://beta.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/documents/1-2679/charting-new-course-affordable-housing-nova-scotia-en.pdf