Canada sets 10-year target to end homelessness with $29-billion federal commitment

Floyd Brenz., Philippine Canadian Inquirer
November 06, 2026

Photo Courtesy: The Canadian Press

The Canadian government is committing billions of dollars to address homelessness, setting a national goal of creating the conditions to end the crisis within the next decade under Prime Minister Mark Carney’s 2026 federal budget.

Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the plan on Thursday, November 5, saying approximately 65,000 Canadians are currently experiencing homelessness.

The budget proposes $11.2 billion over four years, beginning in 2027-2028, and another $17.8 billion in future years to help people transition from homelessness into stable housing and provide access to essential support services.

A major component is a new Integrated Supports Fund, which will receive $1.8 billion over four years and $3.2 billion in future funding. The initiative will bring housing, mental health care, addiction treatment and other social services together to address the challenges that can prevent people from maintaining permanent homes.

Another $3.6 billion over four years, followed by $6.4 billion in future funding, is earmarked for the construction of supportive and transitional housing across the country.

The federal government will cover construction costs, while provinces and territories are expected to shoulder ongoing operating expenses and provide services such as health care, job training and income assistance.

The plan also includes $2 billion over two years for community mental health and addiction facilities, as well as continued funding for existing homelessness prevention programs.

Ottawa is proposing to renew the Reaching Home initiative and the Veterans Homelessness Program for another decade, with $2.1 billion over three years and $4.4 billion in future funding.

The Canada Housing Benefit, which provides direct rental assistance to eligible low-income households, is also set for a 10-year renewal.

Winnipeg will serve as an initial focus of the government’s housing strategy. Ottawa is proposing more than $1 billion in new capital investments through Build Canada Homes to support housing, mental health care and related services in the Manitoba capital.

The broader budget also aims to triple the pace of non-market housing construction, targeting 24,000 affordable and non-market housing starts annually over the next decade.

The announcement comes as homelessness continues to increase across Canada. Federal figures cited in the budget indicate that homelessness rose by 59 percent between 2020 and 2025, despite an earlier national commitment to reduce chronic homelessness.

While the federal government is providing substantial funding for construction and infrastructure, the success of the strategy will depend on cooperation with provincial and territorial governments, Indigenous partners, municipalities and community organizations.

Carney’s administration says the goal is not only to provide temporary shelter but to help people secure permanent homes with the health and social support needed to remain housed.