Federal Budget 2026
Raising the Roof Welcomes Federal Commitment to End Homelessness Within a Decade
Canada’s national charitable housing developer sees strong alignment with its approach: affordable homes, local supports and opportunities to build a better future.
Raising the Roof welcomes the Government of Canada’s commitment in Budget 2026 to put Canada on a path to end homelessness within 10 years, including new investments through Build Canada Homes in supportive and transitional housing and a new Integrated Supports Fund.
The emphasis on housing and supports reflects the approach Raising the Roof puts into practice with community partners to create stable, affordable homes, and connecting residents with the supports they need to remain housed. Wherever possible, RTR also works with social enterprise construction partners to provide trades training and employment opportunities for people facing barriers to work, extending the impact of each housing investment.
“The ambition in Masters of our Destiny, the 2026 Federal Budget is welcome, and the need is urgent. Timely funding decisions and lasting partnerships will help us build on what Raising the Roof has already seen working, so more people have a home they can afford and the support to stay there.”
Sheldon Pollett, Executive Director, Raising the Roof
A national partner in housing delivery
Raising the Roof is a national charitable housing developer working with local partners to create, preserve and operate affordable housing. Alongside its own housing portfolio, RTR provides development management services that hep other nonprofits turn their housing plans into homes.
Across multiple provinces, Raising the Roof has created or preserved 147 affordable homes, providing stable housing for 253 people who were experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Through its own projects and those it manages for nonprofit partners, RTR is working to deliver more than 1,200 additional affordable and supportive homes across Canada.
Putting housing, supports and opportunity into practice
In Greater Sudbury, Raising the Roof transformed five vacant houses into 10 permanent affordable homes, with residents supported by Sudbury's Supportive Housing. Through construction partner Community Builders, the project also provided hands-on trades training for 31 people facing barriers to employment. RTR has recently purchased an additional property and is building on this successful model to create more homes in Sudbury.
In Toronto, Raising the Roof has preserved 107 affordable homes through the City’s Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition Program. RTR is seeking opportunities through the Canadian Housing Acquisition Fund to extend this preservation work to other cities and provinces. Ending homelessness also means preventing it, preserving affordable rental housing helps protect tenants from displacement and keeps homes affordable for the people who depend on them.
In Winnipeg, Raising the Roof has transformed two abandoned and derelict properties into dignified homes for more than 50 people who were experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Its most recent project, a 23-unit building, combines affordable housing with 24/7 onsite support services, bringing together a stable home and ongoing support in one place.
In Newfoundland and Labrador, Raising the Roof is developing hundreds of units of affordable housing including two commercial to residential conversions in St. John’s, including a 60 unit building for low income seniors and 34 units for youth and seniors in a unique multi-generational model.
Together, these projects demonstrate how creating and preserving affordable homes, working with local support partners, and generating training opportunities can help communities address homelessness and prevent it.
Turning commitments into homes
To translate federal commitments into homes, nonprofit developers need timely decisions and flexible funding for acquisition, due diligence and pre-development. Early, conditional funding commitments can help organizations like Raising the Roof secure properties, complete planning and assemble the remaining financing needed to move projects into construction.
Capital funding must also be coordinated with sustainable funding for housing operations and resident supports, so that homes remain affordable and services are available when residents move in and over the long term.
Federal investment can go further when it works alongside provincial and municipal financing, philanthropic and private capital, local service partners and experienced nonprofit developers. Raising the Roof is ready to work with Build Canada Homes and partners across the country to turn these commitments into homes.
“We welcome the commitments made by the federal government, particularly the recognition that ending homelessness requires homes and the supports that help people stay housed. Raising the Roof is ready to bring our experience and community partnerships to this work as we recognize that clear funding pathways, including support for the early stages of development, will help us turn that ambition into more homes.”
Sheldon Pollett, Executive Director, Raising the Roof
Our Impact at a Glance*
* as of May 31, 2026
147
new affordable homes have been created or preserved
253
people who were experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness have safe, affordable homes with wraparound supports
321
people with barriers to employment in the trades had opportunity for hands on trades training and support through the construction and maintenance of the homes
1200+
additional units in the development pipeline