Federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for housing and homelessness met in Toronto on November 13, 2026, and agreed to start negotiating the renewal of their bilateral housing agreements, which expire in 2027-28. According to the joint communiqué, they want to make progress before the federal Spring Economic Update 2027 and will meet again in spring 2027.
- Meeting: Federal, Provincial and Territorial Forum on Housing and Homelessness, Toronto, November 13, 2026.
- Co-chairs: federal Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Gregor Robertson and Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Rob Flack.
- Ministers committed to advance negotiations on bilateral housing agreements, including preserving existing non-market housing delivered through the Canada Community Housing Initiative.
- Senior officials were told to begin a workplan toward final agreements and report back in the coming months.
What was agreed
The communiqué is a statement of direction rather than a new funding announcement. Ministers discussed measures from the 2026 federal budget, which the communiqué describes as investing $44.7 billion over 11 years toward ending homelessness, expanding non-market housing and supporting the wider housing market. They highlighted the renewal of the Canada Housing Benefit ($5.6 billion over 10 years) and the Reaching Home homelessness program ($6.5 billion over 10 years), and noted $5 billion for a new Integrated Supports Fund and $10 billion in additional federal investment in supportive and transitional housing.
The communiqué says British Columbia's minister did not take part in publishing it because of the province's recent election. Quebec's position is set out in a footnote: it shares many of the objectives but intends to exercise its own jurisdiction over housing and wants its share of federal funding without conditions.
Who is affected
Our interpretation: the bilateral agreements fund programs that provinces and territories deliver, such as rent assistance under the Canada Housing Benefit and the upkeep of existing community and co-op housing. Tenants who receive those benefits, residents of community housing, and the non-profits that run it have the most at stake in how and when the deals are renewed. The meeting does not change mortgage rules, down payment requirements or insured-mortgage limits.
For buyers and owners, the broader federal mortgage measures proposed in the budget were covered separately in our report on Budget 2026 mortgage changes.
What you can do next
- If you receive a provincial or territorial housing benefit, watch for notices from your provincial housing agency; the communiqué sets no new eligibility rules or dates for recipients.
- If you are weighing renting against buying while these programs are renegotiated, the rent vs buy calculator can help you compare monthly costs.
Sources
- Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, FPT Forum on Housing and Homelessness 2026 Ministers' Meeting – Joint Communiqué, 2026-11-13. Accessed 2026-11-14.
This news summary is general information. Program details and funding are set by governments and may change during negotiations.
