Spring Economic Update 2026: Renewed Housing Strategy Must Deliver on Housing as a Human Right
OTTAWA (April 28, 2026):The National Right to Housing Network (NRHN) welcomes the Government of Canada’s newly released Canada Strong for All: Spring Economic Update 2026—the first Spring Economic Update to come out of this new government.
Housing features prominently in the Update and is identified as a key driver of affordability for people across Canada. The Update highlights a priority to support those in greatest need, including people experiencing homelessness and survivors of gender-based violence.
In the coming months, the federal government is expected to launch a process for a renewed National Housing Strategy (NHS). While the Update does not mention the anticipated public consultation process, it is expected to be a significant feature of the upcoming fall budget.
“The renewed National Housing Strategy must align with the government’s commitments to the right to adequate housing under the National Housing Strategy Act with clear targets, goals, and timelines,” says Michèle Biss, Executive Director of the National Right to Housing Network. “We are hopeful that this government will make it happen through a fair and meaningful public consultation process.”
“Renters are also mentioned several times in the Update,” says Jessica Tan, Communications Lead of the National Right to Housing Network. “We encourage the federal government to use underutilized tools like the Renters’ Bill of Rights in the renewed NHS to genuinely protect renters—including measures to ensure fairness in eviction decisions, rent control, and accessibility rights.”
NRHN is also encouraged by the renewed financial support for the Office of the Federal Housing Advocate, including $2 million over 2026–27 and 2027–28, as identified in the Update.
NRHN and its partners will continue to analyze the details of the Spring Economic Update 2026 as they emerge and will share more detailed analyses on what the Update means for renters, those in greatest housing need, and ending Canada’s housing and homelessness crisis.
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NRHN’s 2026 Pre-Budget Recommendations
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A national plan to eliminate homelessness with clear, measurable, outcomes-focused objectives grounded in the right to adequate housing.
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Significant expansion of non-market housing, including targets to double Canada’s share of community, co-op, and non-profit housing with 2 percent of GDP (approximately $47.4 billion in the 2027-28 fiscal year) per annum for the next decade.
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Deliver on the Urban, Rural and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy, and prioritize this for the 2027-37 Strategy.
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Full implementation of a Renters’ Bill of Rights as a set of national tenant protection standards, ensuring proportionality in eviction decisions, rent control, and accessibility rights;
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Strengthened Tenant Protection Fund investments to support tenant organizing, legal supports, and community advocacy; and
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Increased income supports such as the Canada Disability Benefit to levels consistent with the poverty line and the right to adequate housing.
For more information, contact:
Jessica Tan
Communications Lead
National Right to Housing Network
Email: jessica@housingrights.ca
Phone: 613-621-4575
