The Canadian community housing sector has significant limitations to access and attract private capital to increase the supply of affordable housing in a scalable and sustainable manner.

The lab aims to unlock large-scale capital for affordable housing in Canada by exploring the use of a Community Interest Company (CIC) model. A CIC can balance affordable housing needs with investor interests, attracting private investment and reducing costs. The project will develop a strategic plan and CIC prototypes to scale housing projects, build sector capacity and drive sustainable growth.

A macro solution as a policy intervention to enable a community interest company (CIC) to be considered as an approved business type with an accepted classification for access to low-cost financing from institutional organizations.

A micro intervention specific to Everbloom Homes, the community housing provider, will be to create, test, and validate a fund structure that can attract large scale capital flows from both public, philanthropic, and private sector investors, that is risk managed, and can generate adequate returns, while maintaining long term affordability.