WHISTLER, BC, July 24, 2026 /CNW/ -- Far too many Canadians are struggling to find homes they can afford. Solving Canada's housing crisis requires immediate action to bring down costs, cut red tape, and build homes more quickly. The Government of Canada is stepping up with a bold new approach to build affordable housing across the country. We are focused on building great neighbourhoods that Canadians want to, and can afford to live in.

Central to that work, the Government of Canada has launched Build Canada Homes, which is helping increase the pace of affordable homebuilding. Build Canada Homes is also helping fight homelessness by building transitional and supportive housing – working with provinces, territories, municipalities, and Indigenous communities. It is building deeply affordable and community housing for low-income households, and partnering with private market developers to build affordable homes for the Canadian middle class.

As part of the Government of Canada's broader efforts to respond to the housing crisis, investments are being made across the housing continuum to respond to the needs of communities across Canada.

Today, the federal government highlighted $416,000 in additional funding through the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) to support Whistler's plans to eliminate restrictions and add flexibility to its housing development process. Whistler will use the additional funding to complete a comprehensive zoning bylaw update.

Whistler will use the additional funds to replace the existing Zoning and Parking Bylaw which has become increasingly complex and difficult to navigate. The new simplified and more modern bylaw will guide land use and development in Whistler and better reflect community priorities and supports streamlined review and permitting processes.

The additional funding reflects Whistler's successful implementation of its HAF agreement and increases its HAF agreement to approximately $3 million. To date, Whistler has leveraged HAF funding to issue nearly 250 building permits and is on pace to exceed its HAF targets.

Since signing its HAF agreement, Whistler has already implemented a variety of initiatives including undertaking a comprehensive review and implementing changes to development charges and fee schedules, prioritizing workforce housing permit applications, and improving the efficiency of the building permit process to cut red tape and build more homes faster.  

The announcement was made by Patrick Weiler, Member of Parliament for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea-to Sky Country, on behalf of the Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada alongside Jack Crompton, Mayor of Whistler.  

The Government of Canada is making the housing investments that will help strengthen Canadian supply chains and create good jobs at every step of the homebuilding process – helping to build more homes and a stronger Canadian economy at the same time.

Quotes:

"Getting more housing built is one of the biggest challenges facing fast-growing communities like Whistler, where the demand for homes continues to outpace supply. Our government is focused on supporting municipalities to take actions within their own authority to remove barriers, speed up approvals, and enable more housing. This additional funding recognizes Whistler's progress and will help the community continue making the changes needed to build more homes for the people who live and work here." – Patrick Weiler, Member of Parliament for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea-to-Sky Country

"The generous support of the federal government through its Housing Accelerator Fund will help cut unnecessary red tape and get shovels in the ground, ensuring more Whistler locals will get to live, work and play in the community they love for generations to come. Whistler's Council is deeply committed to expediting the delivery of workforce housing, and this investment advances that important mission." – Jack Crompton Mayor, Resort Municipality of Whistler

Quick Facts:

• High-performing HAF communities were eligible for top-up funding to pursue additional initiatives. To be eligible for additional funding, communities must have:
  • Been in compliance with their HAF agreement;
  • Issued more permits relative to their target;
  • Proposed an additional initiative aligned with the HAF Top Ten Best Practices.
• Since its launch in March 2023, a total of $4.37 billion in funding has been committed through HAF to help cut red tape and fast track new homes for people in towns, cities, and Indigenous communities across the country.
• Funding for Whistler includes:
  • Additional funding of $416,000 from the federal government, through the Housing Accelerator Fund,  announced on May 13, 2026.

Additional Information:

• Visit canada.ca/housing for the most-requested Government of Canada housing information. 
• Build Canada Homes is ready to partner with organizations committed to increasing the supply of affordable housing across Canada. Learn more about the portal and the Investment Policy Framework.
• Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) is a federal Crown corporation and the foundation of Canada's housing system. For over 80 years, CMHC has supported the functioning of housing markets across the country through housing finance solutions — including mortgage loan insurance and securitization — while providing trusted, unbiased data, research and market intelligence to inform policy and decision making. Through its national presence, deep expertise in housing economics and finance, and a system-wide perspective, CMHC helps foster a more stable, well-functioning housing market that supports households, communities and the broader economy.
• Follow CMHC on X, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.  

SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)