Senior government leadership and resources are essential in order to address the rental housing shortages facing Canadian cities.  The Province of Saskatchewan is currently undergoing a period of significant growth and as a result communities across the province are facing low vacancy rates and insufficient rental housing supply.  To help boost the supply of rental housing, the Province of Saskatchewan introduced the Rental Housing Construction Initiative as a way of stimulating investment in purpose-built rental housing.  The program provides provincial grants of up to $5000 per unit to municipalities to match municipal grants or incentives for each new rental unit constructed.  Municipal incentives may take the form of land, property tax exemptions, or up front incentives.

Is this a model that other provinces or the federal government could adopt?

Related Links:

Rental Construction Incentive – Fact Sheet
Government of Saskatchewan, Social Services – Rental Housing
Saskatoon Housing Initiatives Partnership