C-356Building Homes Not Bureaucracy Act
An Act respecting payments by Canada and requirements in respect of housing and to amend certain other Acts
Private member's bill, introduced in the House of Commons on September 20, 2023
- Status
- Defeated at second reading in the House of Commons
What it does
Sets housing targets for high-cost cities, ties some federal funding to construction and permits, and changes CMHC, GST, and federal property rules.
What it does
- Sets a national target for new homes completed after March 31, 2024 at 15% above the 2023-24 level each year.
- Ties Canada Community-Building Fund amounts and municipal GST rebates for high-cost cities to the number of homes they complete, with exceptions for emergencies, disasters, recession, war or terrorism, and allows up to $100 million for municipalities that exceed their share of the target.
- Holds transit funding for high-cost cities in trust until prescribed high-density housing near funded transit stations is built and substantially occupied, and makes infrastructure and transit funding conditional on giving required information and not unduly delaying or rejecting housing permits.
- Requires CMHC to approve or reject housing funding applications on average within 60 days, bars executive bonuses unless the national target is met, creates a GST rebate for certain new residential rental property, and requires a report on federal buildings and land.
Who it affects
- High-cost cities
- Municipal governments
- CMHC executives
- New rental housing builders
- Federal property managers
- Cities with transit funding
Background
The bill defines a high-cost city as a municipality listed in a schedule, and lets cabinet add or remove cities by price and income tests. It also amends the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Act, the National Housing Act and the Excise Tax Act.
Where it is
House of Commons
First reading
Completed.
Second reading
Defeated here. Defeated
Committee
Not reached.
Report stage
Not reached.
Third reading
Not reached.
Senate
First reading
Not reached.
Second reading
Not reached.
Committee
Not reached.
Third reading
Not reached.
Royal assent
Royal assent
Not reached.
Introduced by an MP who is not a minister. These bills compete in a lottery for debate time, and most do not become law. How a bill becomes law
How the House voted
2nd reading of Bill C-356, An Act respecting payments by Canada and requirements in respect of housing and to amend certain other Acts
Vote 790,
Failed
117 yeato203 nay · 8 paired
Party breakdown for vote 790 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Nay 0 149 7 Conservative Yea 116 0 2 Bloc Nay 0 28 4 NDP Nay 0 24 0 Green Nay 0 2 0 Independent Yea 1 0 2 Total 117 203
What MPs said
Each party’s first speech on this bill in the House, from Hansard. Excerpts are the speaker’s opening sentences, unedited.
LiberalChris Bittle· October 30, 2023
“It is good to be here talking about housing. The Conservatives talk a really good game.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caConservativePierre Poilievre· September 20, 2023
“Moved for leave to introduce Bill C-356, An Act respecting payments by Canada and requirements in respect of housing and to amend certain other Acts. It is an honour to rise today to introduce the building homes not bureaucracy act, and now, more than ever, it is necessary.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caBlocAndréanne Larouche· October 30, 2023
“I rise today to speak to Bill C-356, and I have a lot to say about this bill. In my speech, I will try to address first the Conservative position and then that of the Bloc Québécois.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caNDPJenny Kwan· October 30, 2023
“The bill offers no solutions to those who are being renovicted so that wealthy investors can jack up rent and increase their profits. As part of the Harper government, the Conservative leader had an influential role in the administration.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.ca
Read the source
LEGISinfo status: Bill defeated. Bill data from LEGISinfo, votes from openparliament.ca and the House of Commons. Last updated October 13, 2026.