Canada urgently needs faster, more affordable ways to deliver housing.  The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) launched the Housing Supply Challenge initiative under the National Housing Strategy,  to identify and support innovative, scalable solutions that remove barriers to Canada’s housing supply. 

Round 5 of the Challenge, "Level-Up," focused on unlocking system-level change. The goal?  Increase the adoption of system-level solutions that speed up housing development timelines across both community and market housing—and make permanent improvements to Canada’s housing delivery systems. 

Foresight Canada is proud to have played a national leadership role as the lead Scaling Hub supporting and accelerating the eighteen innovators selected for their potential to transform housing development across the country. The other Scaling Hubs that supported the semi-finalists through the challenge included DMZ, GroundBreak Ventures, The Decision Lab, Highline Beta, and the University of Toronto's School of Cities.

Meet the Semi-Finalists

These forward-thinking teams are reshaping how we build housing in Canada—using finance models, digital tools, and improved manufacturing solutions.

Watch the preview videos below for a glimpse into the bold ideas tackling one of Canada’s biggest challenges: building smarter, faster, and more affordable homes.

Ready to dive deeper? Explore all 18 innovator stories and learn how each semi-finalist team is working to fast-track housing development in Canada.