Build Canada Homes Becomes Crown Corporation
Order Fixing the Day on Which This Order is Made as the Day on Which Certain Provisions of the Build Canada Homes Act Come into Force: SI/2026-39
This Order brings most provisions of the Build Canada Homes Act into force on July 7, 2026, legally creating Build Canada Homes (BCH) as a Crown corporation and enabling initial governance, head office, and corporate systems to be established. Three provisions (sections 29, 41 and 47) are deferred to a later date, so existing Special Operating Agency arrangements and current payment arrangements remain in place until those sections are proclaimed.
Summary
Summary#
This Order brings most of the Build Canada Homes Act into force on the day the Order was made, creating Build Canada Homes as a Crown corporation in law. The Order was made on July 7, 2026 and follows the Act’s royal assent on June 18, 2026; a few provisions are delayed for a later date.
What it does#
- Brings into force sections 1 to 28, 30 to 40, 42 to 46, 48 and 49 of the Build Canada Homes Act, so the Crown corporation structure is established now.
- Delays sections 29, 41 and 47 so those specific powers and steps start later, when the organization is ready.
- Enables the formal steps needed to set up Build Canada Homes as a Crown corporation:
- appoint inaugural board members,
- designate a responsible minister,
- establish a head office,
- set up financial, human resources, payroll, IT and other corporate systems.
- Keeps existing Special Operating Agency arrangements in place while the transition continues. Build Canada Homes has been operating as a Special Operating Agency within Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada since September 2025.
- Maintains current payment arrangements (payments continue to be made by the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities) until section 29 is brought into force. After that, the Minister of Finance would provide funding directly from the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
- Leaves the timing of the delayed provisions (including the transfer of the CEO from the SOA to the Crown corporation under section 47) to a future Order in Council, based on readiness.
Who's affected#
- Build Canada Homes (BCH) staff and leadership, as the organization moves from an interim agency to a Crown corporation.
- Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC) and the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, which have been hosting BCH as a Special Operating Agency.
- The Minister of Finance, once funding responsibilities shift after section 29 is brought into force.
- Organizations and people involved in BCH projects: contractors, local governments, lenders, non‑profits, Indigenous partners, and other housing-sector stakeholders who have active agreements or projects with BCH.
- The broader public with interests in housing policy and government financing for housing programs.
Why it matters#
- Making Build Canada Homes a Crown corporation gives it a permanent legal status and clearer governance. That can change how decisions are made and how the organization is held accountable.
- The phased approach aims to avoid disrupting ongoing projects and commitments while BCH completes its administrative setup.
- Funding arrangements could change once the delayed sections come into force: responsibility may move from the responsible minister to the Minister of Finance and funding could flow directly from the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
- The Act requires a formal review 5 years after coming into force and then every 10 years, with a report tabled within 1 year of each review. This creates scheduled opportunities to evaluate how BCH is working and whether changes are needed.
Key topics
Source: Canada Gazette