The HAF is a funding agreement between the Federal Government and municipalities across Canada to help speed up development and increase housing supply.  

The City of Saskatoon will be receiving $41.325 million to implement the initiatives outlined in our Housing Action Plan. This will help get 940 additional new units built over three years and leverage other housing development opportunities. The funding focuses on diversifying housing options by increasing what is known as “missing middle” housing, the range of housing types that fit between single-family detached homes and mid-to-high-rise apartment buildings. It will allow multi-family units in walkable areas of the city and make use of existing infrastructure.  

This is done by changing zoning regulations that deter or exclude some types of development, particularly certain housing types.  

Development of missing middle housing will occur gradually over time and across the city.  It will add greater variety to what we think housing in Saskatoon should look like. More people will have access to stable and affordable housing, with walkable services and access to public transit and active transportation opportunities. 

The actions in the Housing Action Plan are a generational shift in what housing looks like. They will make it easier to build various types of homes in our communities.  More people will have access to stable and affordable housing, with walkable services and nearby public transit and active transportation opportunities. 

• 14,000 people moved to Saskatoon in 2023 alone, but there are only an average of 2,600 new housing units built in the city annually. 
• According to the CMHC Rental Market Report – January 2024:  
  • The purpose-built rental apartment vacancy rate fell from 3.4% (2022) to 2% (2023). In the North, Northeast and Southeast zones of the city, the vacancy rates fell below 1 per cent.  
  • Rent costs increased 9% from October 2022 to October 2023 with the average two bedroom rent being $1,360.  
  • Available units for low-income families remain scarce, with only 5 per cent of rental stock affordable to families in the lowest income quartile.

At the same time, inflation and other pressures are making it harder for people to pay the bills, including their rent, and more people are at risk of losing their housing. The balance between housing supply and demand influences price and availability. There is an urgent need to build more housing, quickly. It needs to be as simple as possible, for as many people as possible, to build housing.

Increasing housing options also supports the City achieving actions in the Climate Action Plan by building complete and compact communities through infill development and increasing the number of multi-family buildings. 

The HAF changes are meant to:  

• Reduce barriers, such as zoning restrictions, which can restrict housing development or cause it to take longer and cost more.  
• Increase density, which is a more affordable way to create housing supply specifically by adding new multi-family homes like four-unit dwellings and multiplexes into existing neighbourhoods.  
• Incentivize housing near transit corridors to reduce the need for cars and land used for parking.  
• Encourage supportive and affordable housing developments.  

These changes can be achieved through changes to zoning regulations, which will be brought forward throughout the next few months. These include:  

• Reducing barriers to the building of Accessory Dwelling Units, like secondary, garage or garden suites. (Approved by Council in April 2024)  
• Allowing up to four residential units on a 15 metre (50 foot) or wider lot in a residential zoning district and applying appropriate development standards, including setbacks and site coverage limitations.  
• Allowing four storey multiple-unit development within 800 metres of a planned bus rapid transit station with appropriate development standards and servicing capacity. A new planning area called the Transit Development Area (TDA) identifies the area within which four-storey multiple-unit development will be permitted. 
• Removing parking requirements from the Zoning Bylaw for development proposals throughout the city*.  

*Note: This will be part of the one amendment to remove off-street parking minimums throughout the city. This does not include on-street parking, including the Residential Parking Program (RPP). The City will be exploring potential policy considerations to deal with the potential for increased on-street parking pressure. 

Regulations permitting four-storey multi-unit development as of right are expected to apply only within the TDA. Please refer to the "Permitting 4-storey residential development within 800 metres of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) stations" accordion under the Proposed Amendments tab.

Some residential areas in Saskatoon experience significant on-street parking congestion, usually generated by nearby businesses or institutions. The Residential Parking Program (RPP) minimizes this congestion by limiting non-resident parking to a maximum amount of time.  

Currently, all dwelling units including secondary suites, garden and garage suites, and up to four unit dwelling units are eligible for up to three permits per dwelling unit plus one visitor permit. New multiple-unit dwellings over four units are not eligible for permits under the RPP.  

The City will be exploring potential policy considerations to deal with the potential for increased on-street parking pressure.

There is a significant difference between what housing development is allowed and what housing development will actually be built. Any changes from the HAF initiatives are expected to occur gradually across the city. Development will depend on many factors including economic feasibility, infrastructure capacity, market demand and availability of materials.  

For example, in cities like Toronto and Kelowna that already allow four units on a lot the change in their neighbourhoods has been very incremental. Since Kelowna changed their zoning regulations in 2017, there have been very few applications for three or four units on lots smaller than 15 metres (50 feet) due to a number of factors, including market demand. 

The City of Saskatoon will receive a 25% upfront advance to begin to implement the Housing Accelerator Fund Action Plan. The remaining approved funding will be disbursed in installments annually over three years until 2026/27, provided the City meets the terms and conditions of the agreement. 

Information about the initiatives and how the funding will be allocated can be found here.

No. Residential development is not planned for green spaces such as parks, cemeteries, golf courses or other similar areas.

The public was invited to attend two information sessions on June 4 & 6, 2024. Thank you to all who attended and provided their feedback!  

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The online survey is now closed.

The community was invited to provide their input on the Housing Accelerator Fund and proposed bylaw changes. To learn about the feedback we received about the proposed parking amendments, please see the Public Survey Summary. Thank you to all who provided their feedback!

You can provide your comments or questions to the project team using the online form:

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