Location
The City supports the development and availability of affordable housing in every neighbourhood to ensure people from all walks and stages of life are able to choose where they live and enjoy safety, stability, and opportunity.
The City has issued a call for letters of intent from local non-profit organizations regarding housing projects that meet the RHI eligibility requirements. Submissions will be accepted until December 31, 2022. These submissions may include a suitable site that is ready for development.
In the event no submissions come forward that include an identified site, the City will support a search using criteria such as size, zoning and proximity to transit, local amenities and services.
The City will communicate information about the location with the public as soon as possible.
Community Outreach
We will share information with the public in a timely manner throughout this process. Sign up to receive email updates about the project below.
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Timeline
Funding > Plan > Design > Build > Operate
December 2022:
- CMHC announces allocation of RHI funding to City of Regina
- City Council approves City to enter into funding agreement with CMHC
- City invites non-profit organizations and housing providers to submit letters of intent by January 11, 2023
January to March 2023:
- Evaluation and selection of successful applicants
- Negotiation and refinement of project details
- Development of project proposal to be submitted to CMHC
March 15, 2023:
- Deadline for the City to submit a project proposal to CMHC
March 15 to May 15, 2023:
- Review of project proposal by CMHC
November 2024:
- Upon proposal approval, the project must be delivered and available for occupancy within 18 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find commonly asked questions and answers about the new RHI project.
How much funding is Regina getting for the project? How many units will be built?
Specific details such as the funding amount and the number of units are not available at this time. We will share those details in collaboration with CMHC when we have the funding agreement formalized.
What are the funding requirements under RHI Stream 3?
- Funding is for capital costs and cannot be used to support operational expenses
- Eligible projects include new construction, non-residential conversion and rehabilitation of housing units that are in disrepair and/or abandoned and in both cases are uninhabitable or have been lost from the housing stock
- Projects must meet affordability, energy efficiency and accessibility criteria
- Units must be delivered within 18-months of CMHC project approval
- Units must be maintained as affordable for 20 years
- Units must be dedicated to people and populations who are vulnerable and targeted under the National Housing Strategy
- 25% of units will be targeted to women or women and their children
- The City is encouraged to work with Indigenous-led organizations to target 15% of funding for urban Indigenous Peoples
What is the City’s Role in the new RHI project?
The City is best positioned to maintain its current role of supporting the creation of affordable housing units in partnership with local non-profit organizations. Regina is home to many experienced non-profit organizations that have well-established relationships with the communities they serve and who understand local housing needs.
The City’s role for the RHI project will include:
- Facilitating the provision of investment to our selected non-profit organization
- Supporting them to build and operate the housing
- Ensuring the project comply with development requirements (land use, zoning, building code) similar to all development projects within the City
- Information sharing with the public and consultation where appropriate (i.e., rezoning or discretionary use applications)
- On-going monitoring and reporting to CMHC over the 20-year agreement timeline
How will the City choose the housing partner for this project?
The City will select a qualified non-profit organization to partner on the RHI project and to construct and operate it. Partners will be selected through a call for letters of intent and evaluated based on the readiness to meet RHI requirements. Priority will be given to Indigenous-led organizations and projects which are targeted to urban Indigenous peoples. Additional evaluation points will be provided for project submissions that:
- exceed the minimum requirements (e.g., accessibility, energy efficiency)
- have a development site with appropriate zoning in place
- have additional sources of funding secured to supplement the RHI funding
What is the housing need in Regina?
Based on 2021 census data, 23% of renter households in Regina are in core housing need. A household is considered to be in core housing need if it falls below one or more of the adequacy, suitability or affordability standards and would have to spend 30% or more of its before-tax income to access housing that meets all three standards.