HOUSING NEWS

Winnipeg Free Press: Builders Stampede to Participate in Federally Funded Affordable-Housing Program

If you help fund affordable housing in Winnipeg, apparently the builders will come.

A City of Winnipeg program was designed to attract new, primarily affordable and downtown housing units this year with $25 million worth of federally funded grants. But the city has now received requests for more than $160 million of grants, far exceeding the budget.

“We thought we’d get 25, 30 applications; now we have 66,” said Greg MacPherson, the city’s affordable housing concierge. “So many are really strong… viable projects.” MacPherson said his team will ensure successful applications create as many affordable and downtown units as possible.

Christina Maes Nino, executive director of the Manitoba Non-Profit Housing Association, said she hopes the city gives top priority to deeply affordable homes with monthly rents of $900 or less. And she would like the city to prioritize projects led by non-profit housing groups. She said those groups generally guarantee low rents, unlike private contracts that may only commit to keeping units below market rate for 20 years or less.

“Projects that are owned and operated by non-profits… are going to remain affordable over the long term, even after any funding agreement ends,” said Maes Nino. Due to their focus on low rents, she said non-profits are also most in need of government funding to get their projects built.

“The rents that they charge (are) going to be significantly less than the market, which means that they need some kind of capital funding in order to make up that difference.… (These grants offer) a good opportunity for them to bring down those costs so they can make some projects viable that wouldn’t otherwise have been,” she said. Read More

Tenant Drop-in for Accessing Tax Documents

Thursday, September 12 between 10:00am - 2:30pm

MNPHA Office, 102-90 Garry Street, Winnipeg

Canada Revenue Agency representatives are available to meet with tenants of non-profit housing providers at our office on Thursday, September 12th from 10:00am - 2:30pm.

They're providing assistance with accessing online MyCRA accounts and copies of Proof of Income statements, which are required for subsidized housing applications, Rent Assist applications, and copies of Child Caregiving Benefits (CCB) statements. The representatives are knowledgeable and can provide updates and information on the status of individual's CRA accounts. 

Tenants must bring valid government issued ID to access this service (passport, drivers' license or health card are acceptable).

You might qualify for FREE energy efficiency upgrades!

Facing rising energy bills? You might be eligible for a free Home Energy Check-up from Efficiency Manitoba which will help you save money by analyzing your energy usage, wastage and recommending free and subsidized efficiency upgrades. Our Regional Energy Coach: Prairies (Fardeen) and Program Coordinator: Energy Efficiency (Olaide) will help you identify eligible improvements and connect you with registered contractors. So, feel free to reach out to Fardeen or Olaide and start saving today!

Learn more about EfficiencyMB's programs

CHRA Advocacy

Submission to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance for Pre-Budget Consultations in Advance of the 2025/2026 Budget

Canada is struggling through a worsening housing crisis. According to research done by the Housing Assessment Resource Tools (HART) project, over 1.5 million households in 2021 were in core housing need, meaning these households live in inadequate or unaffordable housing. Since 2021, housing costs have risen dramatically, increasing the number of people facing these same challenges.

Despite growing need, Canada’s supply of community housing only represents less than 4% of Canada’s total housing stock: less than half the OECD and G7 averages. That is why many economists and housing providers are now collectively calling for doubling of the share of non-market community housing in Canada.

These investments will also provide additional benefits for our economy. A study published by Deloitte last year shows that investments in community housing have positive impacts to our national productivity. They found that doubling the share of community housing units in Canada would result in a 5.7-9.3% increase to productivity and would boost GDP between $67 to $136 billion annually.

By investing directly in growing the community housing sector in Canada we can provide people with safe, affordable, and appropriate places to live. Doing so would support a national right to housing and would allow people to invest in themselves and their communities. Learn more

2025 Rent Increase Guideline is 1.7%

Manitoba Consumer Protection and Government Services advises the 2025 rent guideline has been set at 1.7 per cent, effective Jan. 1, 2025. Updated annually, the guideline is calculated using a transparent formula based on the consumer price index (CPI) for Manitoba. The guideline applies to most residential rental properties including apartments, single rooms, houses and duplexes. The 2025 rent guideline is lower than the 2024 guideline, which was three per cent.

The guideline does not apply to:

• rental units renting for $1,640 or more per month;
• various types of social housing including non-profits with operating agreements or units accessing rent supplement (note, the guideline DOES apply to units in a building with rent supplements, but that do not have tenants actively accessing the rent supplement);
• rental units owned and operated by, or for, provincial, municipal or federal governments (including those with sponsor management agreements);
• rental units in buildings first occupied after March 2005;
• not-for-profit life lease units;
• co-operative units; and
• approved rehabilitated rental units
• 

Tenants must receive written notice of a rent increase at least three months before the increase takes effect. For example, for a rent increase to take effect Jan. 1, 2025, tenants must receive notice by Sept. 30, 2024. With few exceptions, rent can only be increased once a year. Learn More

EDUCATION & EVENTS

12th Annual Building Partnerships Conference Registration to Date Breaks Record

Monday, October 21 and Tuesday, October 22, 2024

at the Keystone Centre in Brandon

Registration opened for the Manitoba Non-Profit Housing Association’s Building Partnership conference two weeks ago, and will be open until October 11. Registration has far exceeded our expectations already!

Building Partnerships is the largest non-profit and affordable housing gathering in Manitoba and will highlight housing solutions for our smaller and rural communities.

Join us for two days full of panels, presentations, networking, and discussions from all sides of the non-profit housing sector. Over thirty presenters and panelists from across Canada will be revealing how they protect, renew, and expand non-profit housing, from award-winning rural seniors’ housing to housing as a solution to homelessness. 

Register now Update your knowledge, upgrade your skills, learn to streamline projects, plan for success, and build for the future. MNPHA members save 50% on registration costs!

Pre-Conference Webinar

Tuesday, September 17th 11:00am - 12:00pm

From Insight to Action: Strengthening Community Housing with the Organizational Compass

MNPHA, in partnership with the Community Housing Transformation Centre (the Centre), will be offering a free pre-event webinar to guide members through the tool and answer any questions you may have. The Organizational Compass takes about 1 hour to complete, and assesses strengths and areas for improvement in:

1. Governance
2. Property management
3. Financial management
4. Social and community relations

The data you provide will be used in an aggregated analysis of Manitoba’s community housing sector, looking at the sector's strengths and challenges, to be presented anonymously at the Building Partnerships panel discussion on how we can strengthen the sector together. Learn more

MNPHA Members Breakfast Club

Wednesday, September 18th 8:30am

at The Wood Tavern, 112 Marion Street, Winnipeg

We continue to hear how beneficial it is for our members to network with each other. As housers we share common values and can gain knowledge and support from our time together. Learn from your colleagues, hear about housing trends, and be aware of the significant changes coming to the non-profit housing sector in Manitoba.

Breakfast Club is a great opportunity to connect with others in the non-profit housing sector. A stress-free, intimate, members only meeting with the most important meal of the day. We hope you’ll join us.

Spirit of Housing Awards Dinner

Monday, October 21th 6:00pm

at The Backyard on Aberdeen, Brandon, MB

At the Spirit of Housing Awards we celebrate our leaders’ successes, achievements and reflect on what we have overcome. The dinner is at the highly recommended, Backyard on Aberdeen. Its a locally owned establishment loved for providing high quality food in a beautiful setting, so we'll be celebrating the award recipients in style.

Joining the conference? Add the Awards Dinner at check out.

If you would like to register for the Spirit of Housing Awards only, please Register Here

Responding to Behaviours of Concern

Monday, November 18th 1:00pm to 3:30pm

at Momenta, 982 Portage Ave, Winnipeg

How can landlords and tenant support workers respond to behaviours of concern in a way that recognizes and supports the strengths and individuality of their tenants?

Learn proven strategies with Lise Brown of Momenta. Lise is a skilled, experiential facilitator delivering workshops with a focus on physical and emotional safety, successful participation, fun, and meaningful activity. Her teachings include trauma-informed practices, anti-oppressive practices, strengths-based behaviour management and values-led leadership. Registration Opens Soon.

Is Your Organization Recruiting New Board Members?

If your nonprofit organization in Winnipeg is looking to recruit individuals to your board of directors, Volunteer Manitoba has a program that can help, Board Connect.

Board Connect – an initiative designed to strengthen Winnipeg’s nonprofit sector by connecting professional, engaged and motivated volunteers to join your board. By participating in Board Connect, your organization will have access to individuals who are highly skilled, energized, and possess a variety of skills and experiences that will add diversity and bring a fresh perspective to your board.

The Board Connect program creates a new way for not-for-profit organizations to recruit engaged and motivated volunteer leaders. Learn more

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

A Refreshing Opportunity for a Deserving Winnipeg Not-for-Profit

This fall, one local not-for-profit or social enterprise will bring a new zest into their work through The Lemonade Project, an initiative of Honest Agency, of Winnipeg, who is offering their five month $60,000 brand transformation, pro-bono, to one local organization each year.

“There are many great organizations in Winnipeg, struggling to meet today’s needs more effectively,” says Callum Beattie, Partner and Brand Strategy Lead at Honest Agency. “The Lemonade Project is our way of offering what we do best in support of the city we love.”

The program includes a new strategic plan, a brand strategy and a re-brand, internal work to support the culture, and regular check-ins for up to two years, to help keep the momentum going. Honest Agency is looking for an organization who is ready for a complete refresh, one who has the capacity to participate fully, and one who can use their new brand, strategy and culture to open new doors.

Deadline to apply is September 27, 2024 at 4pm Learn more

RBC Foundation Community Infrastructure Fund

RBC Foundation has launched the Community Infrastructure Fund (CIF) to help fund retrofits, repairs and upgrades of existing community spaces, as well as the construction of new spaces, with the goal of increasing sustainability and accessibility of buildings in our communities.

Who can apply? The fund is open to hospitals, cultural institutions, community centres and other registered charities in Canada. For example, as a non-profit housing organization this means that a community space in the building could benefit from CIF

How is funding determined? The amount of funding is based on the organization’s size and reach, and the regional population. It could be anywhere between $25,000 and $2.5 million, payable over a maximum of five years. Projects must be completed within the approved funding term. Please note: RBC Foundation typically funds no more than the equivalent of 20% of an organization’s operating budget.

Eligibility criteria ▪ The organization is the owner of the space OR is in possession of a lease agreement with at least five years remaining at the time of the application deadline and has owner permission to complete the project as described.

Learn more

Tenant Protection Fund now available

The $15 million Tenant Protection Fund that the federal government announced in Budget 2024 has officially launched and is now accepting funding proposals! If you are a tenants' rights advocacy organization or an organization that provides legal services, advice, and information to tenants within Canada, we encourage you to apply!

This funding program represents the culmination of years of advocacy effort by the National Right to Housing Network (NRHN), where they have been calling for federal funding to help organizations and individuals combat systemic issues in housing, protect tenants’ rights, and ultimately advance the right to housing for all.

Deadline to apply is October 1, 2024 Learn more

Green and Inclusive Buildings Program

The Government of Canada announced up to $1.5 billion in federal funding over five years to establish the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings (GICB) Program, with the objective of improving the availability and condition of community building in Canadian communities experiencing higher needs – while also making the buildings more energy efficient, lower carbon, resilient, and high performing.

The GICB Program supports retrofits, repairs or upgrades of existing publicly-accessible community buildings and the construction of new publicly-accessible community buildings.

Community buildings often serve multiple proposes and can include uses that are not eligible as stand-alone buildings. For example, as a non-profit housing organization this means that a community centre could include a portion of its space for a daycare, or the building could also provide some offices for administrative use but also include a majority of the space for a community hall. At least two-thirds of the building or asset’s floor space must be used for publicly open and accessible services in order to be eligible. This permits some flexibility in determining eligibility of mixed-use buildings. Please see section on Mixed-Use Buildings in the Applicant Guide.

Small and medium retrofits

Eligible applicants with small and medium-sized projects to retrofit existing community buildings ranging in total eligible cost from $100,000 to $2,999,999 can apply from August 1, 2024 until October 16, 2024

Large retrofits and new builds

Eligible applicants with large projects to retrofit existing community buildings or projects to build new community buildings with total eligible costs ranging from $3 million to $25 million can apply from September 4, 2024 until October 16, 2024 Learn more

Canada Greener Affordable Housing Program

Canada Greener Affordable Housing provides low-interest loans and grants for deep energy retrofits. Multi-unit (5+) residential buildings can access the program if they target at 70% reduction in energy consumption and an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Applications for retrofit funding are accepted on a continuous basis until the available funding has been fully committed. Learn more

Manitoba Safe Home for Seniors

Seniors aged 65 and older and family members who have seniors living with them can apply for funding of up to $5,000 ($6,500 in rural and remote areas) to help fund basic home adaptations that are essential for daily living. Applicants can apply for a grant every three years, to a lifetime maximum of $15,000. To be eligible, the applicant must have a combined household income of $60,000 or less.

The funding can be put toward the cost of essential accessibility solutions and could include:

• adaptations that increase safety, like grab bars, bathtub safety rails and increased lighting; or
• accessibility improvements for daily activities, such as zero-threshold showers and widening doorways.

Unfortunately adaptations to rental properties aren't eligible. Applications are available here or by calling 1-866-906-6006

Pest Control Grant Program



Grants are available for non-profits to address pest infestations in two streams. The first stream is for non-profit organizations that require financial assistance to undertake education, treatment, and prevention activities required to eliminate pests. The second is the Homelessness Support stream which supports groups working with tenants for whom managing pests is a barrier to acquiring or maintaining housing. The program receives applications on an ongoing basis until the program budget is fully committed. Learn more

Manitoba Non-Profit Housing Association | www.mnpha.com

social@mnpha.com I (204)797-6746