BRAMPTON, ON, Nov. 7, 2026 /CNW/ -- In an increasingly turbulent world, Canada is determining our future. We have the strength to build, the discipline to deliver, and the values to take care of each other. 

Budget 2026 is the major next step of our ambitious, pragmatic, generational plan to make Canadians maîtres chez nous, building our sovereignty and giving us the freedom to live our lives as we choose. And being maîtres chez vous begins with a place to call your own.  

Today the Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism), the Honourable Rechie Valdez, met with residents and community leaders At Birch Place in Brampton, Ontario to highlight Budget 2026's plan to end homelessness within 10 years. Backed by nearly $30 billion, this is an unprecedented federal initiative to tackle homelessness and ensure all Canadians can live in dignity and community.

In Brampton, the Embleton Community Centre is a local example of how the federal government is investing to enhance community well-being, promote active lifestyles, and meet the needs of a growing population. This modern, net-zero carbon community hub expands access to recreational, fitness, child care, and community programming for residents. By combining local spaces like Embleton with Budget 2026's plan to end homelessness, the government is making sure everyone has a safe place to live and a supportive community.

For decades, governments, communities, and front-line organisations have grappled with homelessness, and their experience has shown what makes the biggest difference.

Homelessness is about more than a roof over one's head. It is about the help people rely on every day, the stability of a safe and affordable home, and the health care many need, including for mental health and addictions. For too long, these systems have operated apart, and not at the scale this crisis demands. Budget 2026 brings them together around what we have learned works: help, housing, and health.

Help: reaching people early, and staying with them until they find a home

• $6.5 billion to renew and strengthen the Reaching Home Initiative and support for veteran homelessness. This funding supports community-led efforts to prevent homelessness, connect people with shelter and essential services, and help them find employment support and a permanent home. Communities will be expected to provide more consistent and timely data to measure the scale of homelessness and track progress in reducing it.
• $5.5 billion to renew the Canada Housing Benefit to provide direct monthly rental assistance to low-income Canadians, including survivors of gender-based violence, so they can pay their rent, keep their homes, and avoid becoming homeless.

Housing: a safe place to go, from transitional homes to deeply affordable ones

• $10 billion through Build Canada Homes to support the delivery of about 25,000 supportive and transitional homes across Canada. The federal government will fund construction, while provinces and territories fund operations and the services residents need to stay housed. This investment will grow as more partners step forward.

Health: care and a home, together under one roof

• $5 billion for a new Integrated Supports Fund, delivered through Build Canada Homes, to build facilities that bring together housing, health care, mental health and addictions treatment, and other social services, with public, private, and philanthropic partners. The model builds on the success of Toronto's Dunn House, where residents' emergency room visits have been cut in half.
• $2 billion for the Build Communities Strong Fund's Health Infrastructure Fund to build new community mental health and addictions treatment facilities and refurbish existing ones.

A home is more than a roof over someone's head. It is the foundation for good health, personal security, and the opportunity to build a better life. This is what it means to be maîtres chez nous: a sovereign Canada, where we take care of each other, where we create opportunities for all, and where we are free to live our lives as we choose.

Quotes

"A strong future for Canada requires having the right supports for our people. Housing is crucial to economic well-being and, more importantly, to a sense of security and belonging. Budget 2026 will help lift hundreds of thousands of people out of poverty, while putting Canada on a path to end homelessness, create more non-market housing, and build a housing market that works for everyone. Today's announcement is the first step in delivering that plan, helping build a healthier, more prosperous Canada, and truly making us masters of our destiny." 

The Hon. François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Finance and National Revenue

"A prosperous economy is built on safety, stability, and dignity for every person in this country. Budget 2026 represents a historic turning point, investing nearly $30 billion to end homelessness over the next decade by bringing housing, healthcare, and community support together. This investment ensures that every Canadian can access a safe place to call home, a stable environment to unlock their potential, and a pathway to a better quality of life."

The Honourable Rechie Valdez, Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism)

Related products

• Budget 2026: Masters of our destiny

SOURCE Women and Gender Equality Canada