"This is an exciting and transformative moment for the Town of Fort Smith. The approval of our Housing Accelerator Fund application by CMHC represents a major step forward in addressing housing challenges in our community."
Town of Fort Smith Mayor Dana Fergusson, March 2025
The funding for the following initiatives is from the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF). HAF is a program from the Government of Canada's Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Funding is provided directly to municipal governments to help build more housing.
The Town of Fort Smith is facilitating 4 initiatives to support the development of multi-family housing, accessory suites & single-detached homes.
Housing Construction Incentives
Status: Accepting Applications
Budget: $1,000,000
What is the goal of this initiative?
The Multi-Family Housing Construction Incentive aims to provide incentives for eligible property owners and developers to encourage them to develop incremental residential housing units through per-unit contributions on eligible building projects.
How will we achieve this?
This initiative is broken into 3 parts:
New Construction: $35,000 may be awarded for the first new principal dwelling unit. $25,000 for each additional unit on the same property, up to for units. The maximum grant is $110,000 per property.
Retrofit: $35,000 per new unit created by retrofitting or converting non-residential or oversized residential buildings.
Secondary Suite Grant: $20,000 per new accessory dwelling unit (e.g., basement, garage or garden suite)
How do I apply?
Applications are accepted year round and evaluated on a case by case basis. Applications can be downloaded here.
How do I qualify?
You are eligible for the Multi-Family Housing Construction Incentive if you meet the following criteria:
Project located within the Town of Fort Smith.
Applicant must be in good standing with the Town of Fort Smith.
There are no outstanding enforcement issues.
Contractors must hold valid NWT licenses and a Fort Smith Business License.
For the full guideline of Multi-Family Housing Construction click here.
Status: Accepting Applications
Budget: $500,000
What is the goal of this initiative?
The Single Detached Home Incentive Program aims to encourage the development of new single detached homes through the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF). This initiative aims to stimulate construction, support energy-efficient design, and ensure timely housing delivery.
How will we achieve this?
The Single Detached Home Program provides a base grant of $20,000 per qualifying new single detached home.
A further $5,000 may be awarded for homes certified to an energy-efficient standard (e.g., Energuide, Net Zero Ready)
A further $5,000 may be awarded if occupancy is achieved by December 31, 2027.
Maximum incentive is $30,000 per home.
How do I apply?
Applications are accepted year round and evaluated on a case by case basis. Applications can be downloaded here.
How do I qualify?
You are eligible for the Single Detached Home Incentive Program if you meet the following criteria:
Project located within the Town of Fort Smith.
Applicant must be in good standing with the Town of Fort Smith.
There are no outstanding enforcement issues.
Contractors must hold valid NWT licenses and a Fort Smith Business License.
For the full guidelines of Single Detached Home Incentive Program click here.
Status: Accepting Applications
What is the goal of this initiative?
The 3-Year Property Tax Exemption initiative aims to accelerate housing growth by incentivizing new builds and accessory units through a structured, declining municipal tax exemption.
How will we achieve this?
Once all permits, final inspections and the GNWT reassessment is completed, home owners receive exemptions on the incremental assessed value as follows:
Year 1: 100% Exemption Year 2: 66% Exemption Year 3: 33% Exemption Year 4 and beyond: Full Taxable
How do I apply?
Applications are accepted year round and evaluated on a case by case basis. Applications can be downloaded here.
How do I qualify?
You are eligible for the 3-Year Property Tax Exemption Program if you meet the following criteria:
Project located within the Town of Fort Smith.
Applicant must be in good standing with the Town of Fort Smith.
There are no outstanding enforcement issues.
Must comply with zoning and building restrictions.
Not available for short-term rentals or commercial uses.
For the full guidelines of 3-Year Property Tax Exemption Program click here.
Status: Live. No Application Needed.
What is the goal of this initiative?
The Town of Fort Smith is introducing the fourth housing construction incentive program that will eliminate all development permit application fees for the period of the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) Program.
How will we achieve this?
When applying for a development permit, calculated fees will be waived. For development fees processed since January 1, 2025, homeowners & developers may request a refund for their payments by contacting reception@fortsmith.ca
How do I apply?
No special application needed. Development Permits can be found here.
How do I qualify?
Criteria follows the application for Development Permits:
Project located within the Town of Fort Smith.
Applicant must be in good standing with the Town of Fort Smith.
There are no outstanding enforcement issues.
Must comply with zoning and building restrictions.
Frequently Asked Questions
All initiatives are open to individuals, developers and organizations interested in increasing the housing stock in the Town of Fort Smith.
Developers or organizations may be based outside of Fort Smith, however; construction companies must have NWT licenses and a Fort Smith Business License.
Housing projects vary by incentive. For Initiative 1, the Multi-Family Housing Incentive Program, duplexes, semi-detached housing, basement or garden suites are supported.
For Initiative 2, the Single Detached Home Incentive Program, only single detached homes will be eligible.
If you are developing a property to increase the amount of units, you can apply on Initiative 1 or 2, depending on how many units the property may have, and also Initiative 3 to engage in our Property Tax Exemption Program.
Each Initiatives varies slightly, like for Initiative 3, the Single Detached Home Incentive Program, occupant must be achieved by December 31st, 2028.
For Initiative 1, the Multi-Family Housing Construction Incentive Program, occupancy must be achieved 24 months after the project begins with no projects funded past 2029.
Yes. However, each project must be submitted individually and meet the program’s evaluation criteria. Priority may be given to shovel-ready projects or those addressing urgent housing needs.
Yes. Projects must comply with the Town’s development bylaws, zoning regulations, and building code standards. Energy efficiency and sustainability features may strengthen your proposal.
