If homeownership seems like an unreachable dream, consider this: a Canadian town called Moosomin is paying people $30,000 to build homes.
The small town, located east of Regina in Saskatchewan along the Trans Canada Highway and the mainline of the Canadian Pacific Railway, is looking to add more homes with a generous new incentive.
In an update shared by the Community Builders Alliance on August 6, the town announced its cash incentive plan to boost the area’s housing supply. The program was made possible by a $1 million federal Housing Accelerator Fund.
The program aims to make Moosomin “a more enticing place to invest and build.” It was created to address the town’s housing crisis and build a tax base for the community. According to Tourism Saskatchewan, the town has a population of just over 3,000.
So how does it work?
moosomin.com
If approved, you’ll receive $30,000 in cash at a council meeting after receiving your occupancy permit. The sum applies to the first new unit built, and you could receive an additional $8,000 “per additional unit for multi-unit housing on the same property.”
Eligible for funding are single-family homes, ready-to-move homes, new modular homes, new mobile homes, basement suites, garage suites, apartments, condos, townhomes, and backyard suites. The program only applies to units built within the town limits, and there are no limitations on the number of units a person can build.
Community Builders Alliance
Building permits issued after August 21, 2023, qualify under the program, which ends on March 31, 2027, or when the town reaches its goal of 50 new units.
“We are proud of the many services we have to offer our residents, from quality health care to our educational facilities and our many recreational opportunities,” stated Mayor Larry Tomlinson on the town’s website. “We are very excited about our future and the many business and personal opportunities available in our region and community.”