The Housing Central partners acknowledge that today’s provincial budget reflects the challenging fiscal environment we live in. At the same time, it’s disappointing that BC Budget 2026 scales back investments into community housing when the need for affordable housing is more critical than ever.

Historic investments made in 2018 will continue to have positive impacts, but can only be realized if investments are sustained over time. This budget is a step backward:

• There are no new investments for the Community Housing Fund (CHF) or the Indigenous Housing Fund (IHF). In addition, non‑profit and co‑operative housing providers responded in good faith to last year’s CHF call for proposals, investing significant pre‑development resources, only to learn today that no projects will proceed this fiscal year.
• Community housing completions are expected to drop from about 4,500 to 2,500 homes per year, widening the gap with the 12,500 affordable homes needed annually to address BC’s affordable housing crisis.
• The government has yet to invest in AHMA’s Urban Rural and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy for BC, leaving large equity gaps in culturally appropriate, community-driven housing solutions for urban Indigenous peoples.

“Budgets are about choices. The choice to continue investing nearly $1B into the Home Owner’s Grant while deferring the same amount in new affordable housing investment is the wrong choice, even in a tough fiscal environment,” said Jill Atkey, CEO of BC Non-Profit Housing Association. “We recognize the complexity of the decisions the government must make and the reality of fiscal constraint. But we also know that community housing plays a stabilizing role during precisely these kinds of economic conditions.

Housing remains out of reach for many British Columbians, despite recent softening in some rental markets. Community housing provides long-term affordability, prevents homelessness, supports health and wellbeing, and contributes to more resilient communities.

“At a time when Indigenous and non-Indigenous households alike are being pushed further to the margins by rising costs, the absence of meaningful new investment in community housing is deeply concerning,” said Margaret Pfoh, CEO of Aboriginal Housing Management Association.

“The need for safe, affordable, and culturally appropriate housing continues to grow, and without sustained, equitable investment, we risk leaving even more people without the basic housing stability they need.”

The consequences of today’s budget will be felt immediately:

• No new supportive or complex‑care housing has been committed, which will make it harder for people to move indoors.
• Municipal housing targets will be challenging to meet without sustained Provincial investment.
• A lack of new investment means providers will not be able to meet the growing need for safe and affordable housing, and this jeopardizes access for thousands of individuals and families in need.

“Reducing the province’s historic level of investment in affordable housing is the wrong thing to do, even in a challenging fiscal environment,” said Thom Armstrong, CEO of the Co-operative Housing Federation of BC.  “Investing in affordable housing is good for the economy and critical to making life more affordable for every British Columbian.”

The Housing Central Partners remain committed to working collaboratively with the Province to identify solutions that balance fiscal constraints with the urgent and ongoing need for community housing.

Read the full budget analysis from BC Non-Profit Housing Association.