Jennifer Wallner is an associate professor with the School of Political Studies at the University of Ottawa and holds the Jean-Luc Pépin Research Chair in Canadian Politics. She works on federalism and public policy, with interests that stretch from social policy and fiscal relations, to political identities and governance arrangements.
Robert Breen is pursuing a Master’s degree in Public Administration at the University of Ottawa. He is a recipient of the Ontario Graduate Scholarship and works as a housing policy analyst. His research interests include New Urbanism, prefabricated housing, and the financialization of rental housing.
Housing in Canada is increasingly unaffordable (CMHC, 2022a). Between 2000 and 2019, the percentage increase of housing prices was approximately three times higher than the percentage increase of median nominal income (Zhu et al., 2023). Furthermore, between 2020 and 2022, housing prices rose by 30% (August 2022). While improvements are anticipated, the affordability crisis is detrimental for Canadians (CMHC, 2025a). Beyond economic implications, the affordability crisis is connected to declining public confidence in government. According to a recent survey, Canadians report a high degree of skepticism about the ability of the federal government to improve housing affordability (Abacus Data).
The Housing Partnership Framework brings together federal-provincial-territorial governments to collaborate on housing. It represents a concerted effort to establish greater information sharing and increase transparency in the sector. In this short piece, we outline the importance of transparency and its significance in the Canadian housing sector as an arena of both interdependence and intergovernmental ambiguity. We then detail features of the National Housing Strategy (2017) and the Housing Partnership Framework (2018), focusing on the mechanisms to increase transparency. While some advancements on transparency are occurring, concerns nevertheless remain. Consistent and clear government-to-government and public transparency is vital for Canada to address not only this contemporary crisis but lay the foundations for effective and sustainable management of affordable housing for generations to come.
Transparency and Collaboration
Wilson Wong and Eric Welch define transparency as “the extent to which an organization reveals work and decision processes and procedures” (Wong & Welch, 2004: 279). Transparency is important for two reasons. First, transparency helps governments and non-governmental actors optimize their efforts while collaborating to address issues. Second, in the context of democratic governance, transparency is an imperative element contributing to informed citizens and government accountability.
As governments work towards resolving the housing crisis, transparency to the public needs prioritization. While transparency does not guarantee an informed citizenry and could create inefficient overload interfering with decision-making, it nevertheless promotes an active public and encourages engagement in governance processes (da Cruz et al., 2016). Accurate and detailed information sharing thus provides a two-fold advantage: more creative and effective solutions to complex problems while reinforcing the legitimacy of democratic governance.
Situating the Canadian Housing Sector
Under the terms of the Constitution Act 1867, provinces retain primary responsibility for the housing sector. Despite this allocation of power, however, all orders of government are implicated in the provision of housing itself. Consequently, jurisdictional ambiguity complicates government action.
Throughout the 20th century, the federal government established a position in the housing sphere supporting social and affordable housing construction. Facing deficits in the 1980s, the federal government changed course. In 1991, Ottawa unilaterally transferred all responsibility for social housing to the provinces and, in 1993, terminated all new investments in the sector (Whitzman 2024).
According to Whitzman, “effects of devolution were immediate: increased homelessness, lower non-housing expenditures by low-income renters, long waiting lists for nonmarket housing, the migration of low- and moderate-income households to sprawling suburbs, and the end of affordable ‘starter homes’ for moderate-income households” (Whitzman, 2024: 43). Devolving responsibility to provinces, where some – like Ontario – further off-loaded the responsibility to municipalities, resulted in increasing provincial and municipal expenditures related to growing homelessness (Doberstein & Smith, 2015).
After decades of non-engagement in the construction of housing across the country, in 2017, the federal government re-entered the field with the launch of the National Housing Strategy (NHS) and the subsequent Housing Partnership Framework (HPF).
Transparency Under the Housing Partnership Framework
The Housing Partnership Framework introduced a variety of mechanisms to enhance both government-to-government transparency and public transparency. First, the HPF re-invigorated the Federal-Provincial-Territorial (FPT) Forum on Housing. This intergovernmental table is integral as officials responsible for housing from federal, provincial, and territorial governments gather on a regular basis to discuss housing priorities, policy, and program design (CMHC, 2025b). The forum also promotes information sharing to enable better decision-making, progress monitoring, and coordination of efforts (Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat, 2018; CMHC, 2025b). Municipalities are also involved through both consultations and direct engagement. Federal and provincial-territorial ministers share leadership of the Forum; Ontario will be the next provincial/territorial co-chair for two years, beginning in January 2026. A Provincial/Territorial (PT) Forum to further promote discussion between governments with senior officials also meets monthly while provincial and territorial senior officials talk regularly.
The HPF also forms the basis for bilateral housing agreements between the federal government and individual provinces and territories to advance National Housing Strategy initiatives (CMHC, n.d.a). As the national housing agency, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), is the main interlocutor between the federal government and the provinces. In exchange for cost-match federal funds under the bilateral agreements, provinces and territories are obligated to advance four programs designed to address housing need.
Transparency between CMHC and the signatory jurisdiction is essential in monitoring the progress of the four programs under these agreements (CMHC, n.d.b). Reporting requirements are detailed in the bilateral agreements and a suspension of funding could occur if they are not met (CMHC-British Columbia, 2018). Provinces and territories are required to report at least every six months on progress made to CMHC (CMHC-British Columbia, 2018). The reports promote accountability and informed decision-making for both CMHC and provinces and territories. Consequently, the HPF appears to be encouraging greater government-to-government transparency in the field.
Transparency to the public occurs through reports scrutinized by auditor-generals, other independent parliamentary and legislative officers, and the media. Provinces and territories are required to produce detailed action plans every three years and the CMHC publishes regular reports on housing supply (CMHC, 2024). The Federal Housing Advocate, created in 2019, can investigate areas of concern and generate public reports with recommendations to the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure (Government of Canada, 2025b).
Ongoing Concerns
In 2022, the CMHC released a report summarizing the findings from an evaluation of the Housing Partnership Framework revealing important areas where adjustments are needed to strengthen transparency.
When asked about their dealings with CMHC head office representatives, provinces and territories reported issues in their communications with CMHC employees. (CMHC, 2022b: 39). Furthermore, interviews revealed a desire among provinces and territories for increased and improved communication (CMHC, 2022b: 39). Communication, with accurate and transparent information sharing, is integral to effective collaboration required to address the complex problem of housing affordability in Canada.
Inefficient reporting requirements emerged as a second problem area. Provinces and territories reported that CMHC requests data at least every six months, creating pressures for PT compliance (CMHC-British Columbia, 2018; CMHC, 2022b). CMHC requests data that details housing progress made under the framework, including impacts of government investments and program impact (CMHC, 2022b; CMHC, n.d.b). However, provinces and territories indicated that have limited capacity to meet such reporting requirements, which is both time consuming and subject to duplication (CMHC, 2022b). Overburdening partners with reporting can create inefficiencies and is not an example of productive transparency. Furthermore, frequent demands for information may limit the amount of valuable information that is produced (CMHC, 2022b).
Finally, provincial and territorial governments reported a lack of clarity on how progress reports are used in federal decision making (CMHC, 2022b). As a result, there is confusion over how the information is being used and why it is valuable (CMHC, 2022b). To improve transparency, provinces and territories “noted an opportunity for CMHC to improve communication to show how their data, information, and reports are being used for accountability or to inform decision-making” (CMHC, 2022b: 41). Doing so would promote positive transparency furthering the sharing of valuable information among the orders of government.
To address these issues, CMHC has proposed the following:
First, provinces and territories submit claims data detailing progress to date. This information could improve the progress reporting process while preventing duplication (CMHC, 2022b). Second, CMHC recommends “providing PTs with additional flexibility to provide progress reports based on their respective fiscal years” (CMHC, 2022b: 42). This could reduce the administrative burden to ensure that transparency in practice aligns with the needs of provinces and territories (CMHC, 2022b).
Finally, CMHC has committed to greater transparency on how it uses data, leading to greater accountability and insight into how decisions are made (CMHC, 2022b). This recommendation may be extended to include emphasis on greater communication between provinces and territories and the CMHC head office.
Conclusion
Recently, FPT Ministers engaged in this sector signalled their intent to renew the intergovernmental partnerships for affordable housing. The Strategy has established a new trajectory in Canada expanding transparency in the sector. Transparency is often viewed as an ideal, something that is impossible to achieve to perfection. Finding the balance to achieve optimal levels of transparency to promote its benefits without its drawbacks can be challenging. However, through steady effort to refine the processes and mechanisms that contribute to transparency, decision-makers can have the information needed to improve the effectiveness of programs while citizens can have the information needed to hold their governments to account.
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