Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF) New!

Program Category: Built Environment, Community Infrastructure

Program Sub-Category: Asset Management, Waste Reduction and Circular Economy, Natural Asset Inventories and Management

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Status: Open

Funder

Housing, Infrastructure, and Communities Canada

Deadline Details

Eligible applicants can apply until March 31, 2025, 15:00 Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). Indigenous Applicants will have until May 19th, 2025, 15:00 Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) to submit their applications.

CHIF uses a continuous intake, whereby project applications may be submitted at anytime while the intake remains open. Project applications received before the final closing date may be reviewed and approved during the application intake period, so interested parties are encouraged to apply early.

Funder Organization Type

Federal Government

Announced in Budget 2024, the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF) is a $6 billion fund that aims to accelerate new construction, rehabilitation and expansion of housing-enabling drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and solid waste infrastructure, directly supporting the creation of new housing supply and improved densification. CHIF is delivered through two funding streams:

Direct delivery stream: $1 billion over 8 years to be delivered by Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC). Funding is available directly to municipalities, Indigenous communities, and other eligible recipients.
Provincial and territorial agreement stream: $5 billion over 10 years to be delivered by the provinces and territories.

This page outlines details for the Direct Delivery Stream.

For a project to be eligible, applicants must demonstrate in their application that there is a housing need, or that growth is expected in the community where the project will take place. Eligible projects must also support increased capacity of municipal infrastructure related to drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, or solid waste management, as outlined below. Both capital and planning projects are eligible under CHIF.

Capital infrastructure projects include new construction, rehabilitation or expansion projects that result in tangible infrastructure, including hybrid and natural infrastructure, for the following systems:

Drinking water systems, including drinking water treatment facilities, storage assets, pump stations, local and transmission pipes, and natural infrastructure;
Wastewater systems, including wastewater storage and treatment facilities, lagoon systems, pump/lift stations, sanitary force mains and sewer pipes, combined sewer pipes and natural infrastructure;
Stormwater systems, including stormwater drainage pump stations, management facilities, pipes and natural infrastructure;
Solid waste management systems, including landfills, organic waste processing, waste sorting, and thermal treatment.

Planning projects primarily consist of studies, plans or design work. For a planning project to be eligible for funding, it must support a future capital project that would be considered eligible under CHIF and align with its objectives.

Visit the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund website to learn more.

Eligible Community

A municipal or regional government established by or under provincial or territorial statute;
A public sector body that is established by or under provincial or territorial statute or by regulation or is wholly owned by a province, territory, municipal or regional government, including, but not limited to:
- Municipally owned corporations (e.g., autonomous organizations owned by municipalities, used to produce or deliver local public services outside the local bureaucracy);
- A provincial or territorial organization that delivers municipal services (e.g., public utilities, community health services, and economic development bodies);
- Any other form of local governance that exists outside of the municipality description (e.g., local service districts);
An Indigenous applicant, as follows see Indigenous Applicant Guide for expanded definitions.
- An Indigenous Governing Body, including but not limited to:
  - A band council within the meaning of section 2 of the Indian Act;
  - A First Nation, Inuit or Métis government or authority established pursuant to a Self-Government Agreement or a Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement between His Majesty the King in right of Canada and an Indigenous people of Canada, that has been approved, given effect and declared valid by federal legislation;
  - A First Nation, Inuit or Métis government established by or under legislation whether federal or provincial or territorial that incorporates a governance structure;
- A not-for-profit organization whose central mandate is to improve Indigenous outcomes;
- An Indigenous development corporation.

Funding Stacking Restrictions

Yes

Total funding from all levels of government (including municipal, provincial, territorial and federal) cannot exceed 100% of total project costs, and total federal government funding cannot exceed 100% of total eligible project costs under this program.

Specific Eligibility Requirements

Projects under the direct delivery stream are expected to meet the following criteria:

Projects must directly enable new housing supply.
Projects must demonstrate that the investment in infrastructure will remove barriers to enabling housing supply in the short term.
Applications should demonstrate a high level of project readiness - projects must be substantially completed by September 2031.
Applicants subject to housing conditions must meet requirements to be eligible to apply.

Other Eligible Applicants

Indigenous Economic Agencies
Businesses / For-profit
Indigenous Organizations
Non-governmental Organizations / Not-for-Profits

An incorporated not-for-profit organization;
A private sector, for-profit body, if it is working in collaboration with an eligible public sector entity, as described above, or with an eligible Indigenous applicant;

Ineligible applicants under the CHIF direct delivery stream include, but are not limited to:
- Provincial or territorial governments (these are eligible under the provincial and territorial agreement stream);
- Private sector, for-profit bodies that are not partnering with an eligible public sector entity or an eligible Indigenous applicant, as described above;
- Individuals and private citizens; and
- Federal entities, including federal Crown corporations.

Range of Funding Available per Project

Over $1 000 000

Description of Funding

Projects must be at least $1 million and should not exceed $100 million in total eligible costs.*

* Projects above $100M in total eligible costs will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the CHIF program to discuss your project before submitting an application above $100M in total eligible costs.

Percentage of Project Funded

The maximum federal cost share that CHIF may contribute toward a project is based on recipient type:

Up to 40% of total eligible expenditures for the following entities in the provinces: municipal or regional governments, public sector bodies, and not-for-profit organizations.
- Up to 50% of total eligible expenditures for municipal or regional governments with a population of 30,000 and under.
Up to 75% of total eligible expenditures for the following entities in the territories: municipal or regional governments, public sector bodies, and not-for-profit organizations;
Up to 100% of total eligible expenditures for Indigenous recipients;
Up to 25% of total eligible expenditures for private sector for-profit bodies.

Note: These rates may vary depending on the project and other sources of funding.

Eligible Costs

Engineering
Design
Planning
Capital Costs
Community Engagement
Reporting
Research and Development

Eligible costs are those considered by Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC) to be direct and necessary for the successful implementation of an eligible project. Eligible expenditures for contribution funding under CHIF's direct delivery stream are as follows:

costs that are incurred after project approval and before September 30, 2031;
capital costs, construction costs, design and planning costs, cost for professionals, technical personnel, consultants and contractors specifically engaged for the purpose of the project;
for natural infrastructure only, land acquisition (see the Step-by-Step Application Instructions in the Funding Portal for more information);
costs of environmental assessments, monitoring and follow-up activities, as required by the Impact Assessment Act or equivalent legislation;
costs associated with a public announcement and official ceremony or required temporary or permanent signage that includes the cost of creating and posting signage;
costs for the purpose of Indigenous consultation or engagement activities;
other costs that are considered direct and necessary for the successful implementation of the project and that are approved in advance by HICC.

Ineligible Costs

Any costs incurred prior to signing a funding agreement

The following costs are ineligible under CHIF:

Project costs incurred prior to project approval, except for expenditures associated with meeting federal requirements related to environmental assessments and Indigenous consultation and, where appropriate, accommodation (see section on Environmental assessment and Indigenous engagement and consultation costs below);
Costs incurred for cancelled projects;
Costs for leasing land, buildings and other facilities; costs for leasing equipment other than equipment directly related to the construction of the project; real estate fees and related costs;
Recipient employee and overhead costs, except:
- those for the purpose of Indigenous consultation and engagement activities; and
- incremental costs related to the recipient's employees, if approved in writing by Canada
Costs associated with on-going operating expenses and regularly scheduled maintenance work;
Financing charges, legal fees, mediation or alternative dispute resolution fees, collateral on mortgage financing, and loan interest payments, including those related to easements (e.g., surveys), except for:
- legal fees incurred by Indigenous recipients, excluding those related to litigation or to the purchase of real property (land or building).
- legal fees incurred by Indigenous peoples whose rights may be affected by project activities funded by the program and that are reasonable, as determined by Canada.
- construction finance costs incurred for public-private partnership projects.
Any goods and services costs which are received through donations or in kind;
Provincial sales tax, goods and services tax, and harmonized sales tax for which the recipient is eligible for a rebate, and any other costs eligible for rebates;
Costs related to furnishings and non-fixed assets, unless approved by Canada
All capital costs, including site preparation and construction costs, until HICC has confirmed that environmental assessment, other applicable federal environmental legislation and Indigenous consultation and accommodation obligations have been met and continue to be met;
Land acquisition costs not directly linked to the development of natural infrastructure.

Reporting Requirements

Progress reports and final reports