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Regional Incentives

Home Regional Government Budget and FinancialRegional Incentives

The Regional Municipality of Durham supports redevelopment projects. These programs and policies promote growth in intensification areas.

At Home Incentive Program (AHIP)

The At Home Incentive Program (AHIP) supports the development of affordable housing in Durham Region. This is done through direct funding and application support.

The Call for Applications from private and public sector partners to apply for the AHIP is now open; the deadline to apply is April 2, at 11:59 p.m. This year, $8 million in funding is available through the AHIP.

Apply for the AHIP

To be eligible, projects must provide a minimum of five affordable housing units and may include:

New construction.
Conversion of non-residential buildings to purpose built rental housing.
Addition of new affordable buildings/units to existing sites/buildings.
Community housing redevelopment that increases the supply of affordable housing units.

In the first three years of the program, Regional Council approved $30.5 million in AHIP funding to help create 350 new affordable rental units in Ajax, Clarington, Oshawa, Pickering, Scugog, Uxbridge and Whitby.

What is the At Home Incentive Program (AHIP)?

The AHIP provides capital grants to eligible residential housing developments that include affordable housing units.

Funding is through a forgivable capital loan secured against the title. A portion of this loan will be forgiven, as long as the project complies with the Municipal Capital Housing Facilities and Contribution Agreement with the Region.

What is the eligibility?

The project must be located within Durham Region.

Non-profit housing providers and for-profit developers are eligible to apply. Applicants must have experience in residential housing developments. They must also have experience operating rental housing or are partnered with an experienced organization that will provide these services.

Projects will be evaluated on:

How it responds to community need, including targeted groups, unit size, location and affordability.
Depth of affordability.
Period of affordability.
Construction and operational costs of the project.
Opportunity for stacking with other housing incentive programs.
Number and percentage of units that will be affordable.
Access to transit, community amenities and services.
Energy efficiency and sustainability.
Accessibility, including barrier-free designs, elevators and other features.
Development readiness, including obtaining required development permissions, financing and development schedule.
Applicant’s financial capacity, and experience with rental housing development and management.

Visit the Program Guidelines for more information.

What is the application process?

Visit the application webpage for details and to submit an application.

Applicants will be required to provide:

Project details.
Information on all organizations involved.
Plans for community outreach.
Development and management qualifications.
A business model that demonstrates financial feasibility of the project.
Other information as may be required by the Region.

Visit the Program Guidelines for more information.

What is affordable rental housing?

Durham Region’s Municipal Housing Facilities By-law defines affordable rental housing as units with monthly occupancy costs that are less than or equal to the average market rent.

Affordable rental units must have monthly occupancy costs that are less than or equal to the average market rent for that unit type as determined in the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing’s Affordable Residential Units for the Purposes of the Development Charges Act, 1997 Bulletin.

Program guidelines

The At Home Incentive Program Guidelines provide information to assist private and non-profit organizations that want to partner with the Region to create new affordable purpose-built rental housing. These Guidelines include information about available resources, eligibility criteria, and the application and approval process for the At Home Incentive Program. This information will assist organizations to complete their Application Forms.

Past reports

Regional Revitalization Program (RRP)

Redevelopment projects with specific challenges might get financial assistance. They might also get in-kind servicing through our Regional Revitalization Program (RRP). The RRP is application based. Eligible projects will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Durham Regional Council must approve them.

For more details on the RRP, including project eligibility, please contact our Financial Planning Division at 905-668-7711 extension. 2280.

Redevelopment credits under the development charge by-laws

If a building or structure on a property is demolished or converted within five years prior to the payment of development charges, the charges may be reduced based on the type and size of the original structure. For full details and eligibility, please refer to the applicable Development Charges By-law for more details.

Development charge exemptions

The Region exemptions certain types of properties and uses from development charges. These exemptions apply to:

Agricultural uses and farm buildings
Places of worship
Public Hospitals
Parking Areas
Free-standing roof-like structures
University lands

For full details and eligibility, please refer to the applicable Development Charges By-law for more details.

Intensification servicing policy

Any residential built-up may need sanitary sewer upgrades. You may apply for funding to upgrade your sewer. This applies to housing units if:

They are in an existing built-up area.
They need sanitary sewage work. If that work is not reflected in the development charge study.
All local works are funded by the developer.

For more information, contact us.