By Dean Iorfida –
Canadian Network of Community Land Trusts (CNCLT) conducted a survey in May 2023 of CLTs in Canada. The survey results were posted to the CNCLTs website. Below is a high-level overview of the survey’s findings and recommendations.
By the Numbers:
- At the time of the survey, there were forty-one (41) CLTs, with one-third incorporated between 2020 and 2023, and five (5) still in the process of formal incorporation.
- With many CLTs new, only about one-third of the CLTs in Canada have property. Three (3) CLTs have one (1) unit but among organizations with a residential portfolio, the average is 769 units.
- Thirty-three (33) of the 41 CLTs participated in the CNCLTs survey
- 21% of CLTs serve an entire municipality but the majority (36%) focus on “one or more neighbourhoods.”
Survey Recommendations:
- With various barriers facing CLTs, not surprisingly the survey recommendations called on greater funding. Namely, operating grants that support organizational development, the hiring of staff and the increase of internal capacity, capital funding from all three (3) levels of government for property acquisition and rental subsidies to provide deep affordability.
Incorporation:
- 64%, or 18 organizations, are incorporated not-for-profits, without charitable status.
- 21% of the CLTs did were registered charities.
Staff:
- Most respondents (63%) had at least one paid member of staff, although in 19% of cases all employees were employed on a contract basis.
- 37% of CLTs had no staff.
Volunteers:
- With more than a third of CLTs without staff, not surprisingly, volunteers play an important role.
- The average number of volunteers per organization was nineteen (19), with a median of ten (10).
Property:
- Thirteen (13) of the 41 CLTs have residential property. Six (6) other CLTs have property but had yet to develop any residential units at the time of the survey.
- The CLTs with residential property account for 9,995 units. Another 2,383 units are expected by the end of 2024.
- Property was acquired by CLTs in a variety of ways: purchase of existing buildings from private owners, public entities, non-profit organizations, or co-ops; received discounted land or properties from a land bank or governmental entity; partnered with for-profit developers on acquisition, rehab, or new construction; received donated land or properties from private individuals or corporations or received (free of cost) homes or contracted to manage homes for a provincial or municipal entity.
Affordability:
- Although the response rate was low, CLTs with rental property determined rent based on the median market rate in their respective municipalities.
- New tenants for affordable units are often based on the CLTs or municipality’s waitlist.
- Common priorities for resident selection include income level and experience of homelessness. Other factors considered included women fleeing family violence, seniors, existing local residency, Indigenous people, 2SLGBTQIA+ people, and racialized people.
Barriers:
- The 67% of respondents that indicated a lack of stakeholder awareness of the CLT model as a barrier, however, no CLTs with residential portfolios identified awareness of a barrier, likely having achieved some profile within their communities.
- In addition to insufficient funding for acquisition, lack of funding for renovation or retrofitting has been a barrier for CLTs to grow their portfolios.
- Lack of organizational capacity and insufficient funding for CLT staffing were important barriers for over half of respondents, regardless of if they held units or not.
