Affordable Housing Grant Program

Supporting the Creation of More Affordable and Supportive Housing in St. Thomas.

Grant Application Submission Form
(Open March 30 - May 31, 2026)

The Affordable Housing Grant Program supports the development of new affordable dwelling units in St. Thomas by providing grant funding towards pre-construction and capital costs. The program is open to non-profit organizations, housing cooperatives, and partnerships between non-profit organizations with private developers who demonstrate capacity and commitment to creating new housing for low-income households.

$500,000

Stream 1 - Grant to Offset Pre-Construction Costs:

Up to $25,000 per project eligible soft costs incurred before construction to a maximum total of $100,000 (max. 4 awarded projects)

Stream 2 – Grant to Offset Capital Costs:

Up to $25,000 per affordable unit or up to $200,000 towards on-site support service facilities for eligible hard construction costs to a maximum total of $400,000

Applications Open: March 30 until May 31 (midnight)

Application Review: June

Application Decision and Award: July

Grant Agreement with Recipients: August-September

Grant Recipients Project Timelines:

Stream 1 – All funded pre-construction works to be completed by June 30 of the following year.

Stream 2 – All development approvals to be completed by June 30 of the following year and building permit issuance by December 31 of the same following year.

Please see the program objectives, applicant and cost eligibility, process and evaluation criteria along with other grant program description and requirements.

Affordable Housing Partnership Grant Program Guide

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

Please review the Grant Program Guide that is posted online to view eligible applicants, projects and costs.

Projects by eligible applicants that create net, new, permanent, rental housing units - including though building conversion from office to rental housing units - and that meet the affordability criteria and eligible project costs: could be eligible.

Conversion projects may also be eligible applications under the City’s Community Improvement Plan, Residential Program. Under the Residential Program, eligible properties under b) and c) include intensification of existing commercial space to add 1 or more net residential units or converting vacant upper stories of commercial or mixed use buildings into 1 or more net units.

This was recently updated to increase it to $15,000 grant per unit for "affordable". There is also a no interest loan for renovations as well for $15K/unit.

If you qualify for this program, you could also request/qualify for the CIP program to waive/reduce building permit fees.

Eligible costs would be those incurred after grant funding approval/agreement (expected July/Aug. 2026). 

Recipients of grants for 'Pre-Construction Costs' would have to complete that work by June 30, 2027.

Recipients of grants for 'Capital Costs' would have to have a building permit by Dec. 31, 2027.

Yes. Applicants can apply for both streams, for the same project, in the same year. Please be aware of the project timelines.

In addition to this grant program, the City also has residential/affordable housing incentives under our Community Improvement Plan. Please see: Planning Services - City of St. Thomas (under CIP tab for the document and application form). The Residential Program has a number of potential eligible projects. Should an application qualify for that program, it may then be eligible for other programs as well (such as reduced/waived development application and building permit fees)

Also, please note that under provincial legislation, affordable units do not have to pay Development Charges (subject to agreement) or parkland deduction.