Ottawa's budget pledges to end homelessness within 10 years, with $17.8 billion over a decade

Ottawa's 2026 budget, released Thursday, offers $11.2 billion over four years to tackle homelessness, starting next year, and $17.8 billion over 10 years. The federal government says it will work to sign agreements with provinces and territories ahead of next year's spring economic update.

The federal government says it would "create the conditions to end homelessness" through a new fund for projects addressing health, addictions and social supports. Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne called it one of the government's "flagship" policies.

The budget document says Ottawa would take on the capital costs of new supportive and transitional housing. Provincial and territorial governments would pay for ongoing operations and services such as training, income support and health care.

The plan also commits $2 billion to new community mental health and addictions facilities, along with continued support for the Veterans Homelessness Program. It also pledges to expand non-market housing and build 200,000 new homes across Canada over the next decade.

A 2025 federal count estimated 65,000 people experiencing homelessness across the country. A 2022 Statistics Canada study found nearly one in eight households had experienced some form of homelessness at some point, more than one in four for Indigenous people.