Creating Vibrant, Healthy Communities Across the Country

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) is Canada's national housing agency. Backed by over half a century of experience, we work with community organizations, the private sector, non-profit agencies and all levels of government to help create innovative solutions to today's housing challenges, anticipate tomorrow's needs, and improve the quality of life for all Canadians. In everything we do, we're committed to helping Canadians access a wide choice of quality, affordable homes, while making vibrant, healthy communities and cities a reality across the country.

Innovative Financing Options

CMHC assists Canadians in all parts of the country to access a wide range of innovative and affordable financing choices, including:

• Providing Mortgage Loan Insurance to help lenders offer mortgages at the lowest possible rates, enable borrowers to realize their dreams of homeownership with as little as 5% down, and facilitate homeowners in renovating or refinancing their properties;
• Helping ensure a steady supply of low-cost funds for residential mortgages by guaranteeing timely payment on a range of mortgage-based securities; and
• Offering Canada's leading Mortgage Loan Insurance for all types of housing, including rental accommodation and nursing and retirement homes.

Housing Expertise and Advice

Through research, CMHC also contributes to the well-being of the housing sector by offering:

• Canada's leading source of objective, reliable housing information;
• Answers to questions about buying or maintaining a house, planning a renovation or adapting a home to meet changing needs;
• Insightful research, timely forecasts and detailed analysis of housing market trends, demographics and consumer preferences; and
• Best practices in housing technology, construction and design to help guide the future of Canadian housing.

CMHC co-chairs Full Committee meetings and most Working Groups of the National Housing Research Committee and provides the Secratariat.

• 2004-2008 Research Theme Frameword
• Evaluation of CMHC's Directed Research

CMHC is committed to research to help Canadians understand and improve the technical, economic, environmental and social aspects of housing.

Affordable Housing

Working with our provincial, territorial, nongovernmental partners and the private sector to deliver the federal government's housing agenda, CMHC helps Canadians from all walks of life access quality, affordable homes with:

• Funding for renovations, emergency repairs and home adaptations to preserve the supply of low-cost housing, and benefit low-income Canadians;
• Consultation, support and financial tools to help communities sponsor and develop their own affordable housing projects;
• Funding to create safe, affordable housing and support those individuals whose needs are not met through the marketplace; and
• Funding to supply and renovate housing for Aboriginal Canadians both on- and off-reserve.

Sharing Canadian Housing with the World

At home and abroad, CMHC also works in close collaboration with our government partners and the housing industry to enhance Canada's presence in the global marketplace, and share our housing experience and expertise with the world, including:

• Improving housing conditions and offering housing solutions to help countries around the world build housing systems that can better meet the needs of their citizens;
• Assisting Canadian companies to export goods and services; and
• Creating more jobs for Canadians from coast to coast to coast.