The City of Saskatoon plays an important role in encouraging and facilitating the creation of housing in Saskatoon. While the City does not build housing, it administers a number of programs designed to assist housing providers to increase the supply of affordable and entry-level housing.

The City of Saskatoon’s role and action plan in the housing area is described in detail in the 2012 Housing Business Plan.

For 2011 housing facts, past initiative summaries and results, refer to the 2011 Housing Business Plan Presentation.

What is Affordable and Entry-level Housing?

Affordable Housing
In Saskatchewan, the Saskatchewan Housing Corporation (SHC) monitors housing affordability. Based on information it collects about the cost of housing SHC sets household income levels below which families are eligible to apply for Provincial housing programs. These annual household income levels are called Maximum Income Limits (MILs). As of September, 2011, the MILs in Saskatoon for Rental Housing are $44,500 for households without dependents and $52,000 for households with dependents. For ownership housing the MILs are $52,500 for households without dependents and $60,000 for households with dependents. These figures are subject to change periodically.

In Saskatoon, any housing project that provides units to individuals or families with incomes below the MILs is considered “affordable”. Affordable housing projects must have a process in place to verify incomes to ensure that affordable housing is available to those who truly need it.

Entry-level Housing
Entry-level homes are “a place to start” in the home-ownership market. Entry-level housing is market housing offered at price points that represent the very lowest end of the market without using subsidies. Individuals and families with combined annual household incomes that range between $52,000 and $70,000 can be considered to be in the entry-level market. Entry-level homes are typically purchased by young families, individuals with new jobs, new immigrants who may be just starting out, and anyone else who may not yet able to afford the home of their dreams, but want to take advantage of the benefits of home-ownership.

Today, it can be a challenge for people who do not currently own a home to break into the home-ownership market. Entry-level homes can provide an opportunity as a relatively low-cost first step in home-ownership.