Housing Accelerator Fund
The City of Brandon is working with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) on an Action Plan as part of a Housing Accelerator Fund application. The Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) is a federal program administered by CMHC that provides funding to local authorities, such as Brandon to incentivize and support initiatives that accelerate the development of housing.
Council Meeting to Initiate Actions
To be eligible for this funding, the City of Brandon is moving forward quickly with the actions, including zoning amendments, downtown market housing incentive, and affordable housing incentives (information below). If you are interested in a specific topic please reach out!
Initiative No. 1: Zoning Accelerated – Changes to zoning to allow for a greater variety of unit types in all areas of the city and reduced parking requirements.
Summary of Zoning By-law Changes (90KB)
Frequently Asked Questions (33 KB)
Status: Adopted by City Council on July 8, 2024 - Zoning By-law (806 KB)
Contact: Principal Planner Sonikile Tembo at s.tembo@brandon.ca
Initiative No. 2: Housing Liaison - The liaison function will serve to foster relationships with both non-profit and for profit housing providers to meet strategic housing goals for affordable and downtown housing.
Status: Complete
Contact: Director of Planning & Buildings Ryan Nickel at r.nickel@brandon.ca
Initiative No 3 - Density Bonus -This initiative will incentivize the creation of smaller one bedroom units and affordable housing units.
Summary of Density Bonusing (121.22 KB)
Status: Adopted by City Council on July 8, 2024 Zoning By-law (806 KB)
Contact: Principal Planner Sonikile Tembo at s.tembo@brandon.ca
Initiative No. 4: Growing our Established Areas – New City Plan will identify policies and criteria to support intensification and increased density with consideration for proximity to transit, active transportation, greenspace, schools, commercial areas, institutions, and busy roadways.
Info Link: City Plan Webpage
Status: Adopted by City Council on February 3, 2025.
Contact: Principal Planner Sonikile Tembo at s.tembo@brandon.ca
Initiative No. 5: Housing Incentives
Establish new housing incentive by-laws to provide as of right tax off-setting grants and cash incentives for affordable housing throughout the city and market housing downtown.
Information Link: https://housingincentive.brandon.ca/
Downtown Incentive Status: By-law passed third reading on May 21st, 2024
Affordable Incentive Status: By-law passed third reading on August 19th, 2024
Contacts:
Downtown Market Housing Incentive Program
Brandon Downtown Development Corporation
Executive Director Emmanuel Ahaneku
e.ahaneku@brandon.ca
Affordable Housing Incentive Program
Community Housing and Wellness Programmer
Amanda Dupuis
housingandwellness@brandon.ca
Initiative No. 6: Development Charge Timing
As part of the City's overall development charges update the timing of the development charge will be explored.
Status:
- First by-law amendment adjusted rates for land drainage and transportation infrastructure, now due fully at the time of building permit issuance. Adopted by City Council on April 7th, 2025
- Second by-law amendment adjusting rates for sanitary sewer and water, both treatment and linear infrastructure, will be due fully at the time of building permit issuance. Adopted by council on June 9th, 2025. Pending public utilities board (PUB) approval before taking effect. Submission to PUB will be submitted prior to year end 2025.
Contact: Strategic Infrastructure m.chapin@brandon.ca
Initiative No. 7: Housing Land Assembly
The housing land assembly initiative will allow the City to increase our prioritization for land acquisition of lands for both affordable housing throughout the City and market housing downtown to align with our new housing incentive and accelerate growth in both these areas.
Status: Updated land transaction policy and priorities approved March 2024
Contact: Real Estate Coordinator Angie Robertson a.robertson@brandon.ca
HOUSING TARGETS AND RESULTS
Reporting period – January 26, 2024 – January 25, 2025
- Housing unit target - 289
- Net new housing units – 283
- Single family detached homes – 12
- Multi-family housing units (Missing middle housing units) – 271
- Affordable units included – 34
Note: One unit is a construction permitted housing unit that may be completed, under construction, or pending construction.
USE OF HAF FUNDING
$1,562,090 received – 2024
$1,562,090 received – 2025
February 13, 2025 Update - The Housing Accelerator Funds are intended to be used towards the housing incentive programs that were created through HAF initiatives (Affordable Housing Incentive Program & Downtown Market Housing Incentive Program) as well as for land assembly. One funding agreement has been signed for the Downtown Market Housing Incentive Program which will expense almost 1 million dollars over the next two years. Other projects are in progress, which we anticipate will have funding agreements signed that will expense the full amount received through the first two HAF payments. These projects will create a significant number of housing units that otherwise would not been created.
Contact Us
City of Brandon
410 9th Street
Brandon, MB R7A 6A2
Phone: 204-729-2186
Mon - Fri: 8:30am - 5pm
Sat - Sun: Closed
Stat Holidays: Closed