Canada-NWT Housing Benefit (CNHB) 

Overview  

The Canada-NWT Housing Benefit is a federally funded program available to help with rental costs for households in the Northwest Territories paying more than 30 percent of their gross income on rent.  

CNHB is a non-taxable benefit, recipients will be issued a T5007 every year which is also reported to CRA, this benefit is counted towards total annual household income.  

Available Funding  

Applicants may be eligible for rental assistance up to $800 per month.  

CNHB is a federal program administered by Housing NWT. Funding for this program is cost-shared in partnership between Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and Housing NWT  

The application intake is open year-round.  

Eligibility  

This funding is open to NWT residents who:  

  • are a Canadian Citizen or permanent resident of Canada and are 19 years old or older;   

  • have been a resident of the Northwest Territories for 12 months before applying for the program;  

  • have a household income (combined income of all persons 19 years old and older) below the Core Need Income Threshold (CNIT) for their community as determined by the National Occupancy Standard;      

  • are renting from an approved landlord in the NWT and not receiving any other housing benefit or subsidy (ineligible units include: organizations receiving government subsidies such as capital contributions, operating contributions, interest rate subsidies, etc. for its operations; rooms in owner-occupied housing; nursing or retirement homes; social housing; shelters and crisis care facilities; owner occupied housing; staff housing; student housing and cooperative housing);  

  • are paying more than 30 percent of their gross income toward shelter costs (rent + utilities)   

  • have income from the following sources:  

    • Employment income   

    • Employment Insurance, Short-Term Worker’s Compensation, Short Term Disability  

    • Alimony payments   

    • Training Allowance  

    • Canada Pension, Old Age Security, Guaranteed Income Supplement   

    • Superannuation, Private Pension income, RRSP/RRIF Income; and  

  • files an annual Canadian Income Tax Return;   

  • does not own a home.  

How to Apply  

  1. Fill out the application form.  

  1. Include the following documents in your application:   

    • Current signed lease agreement   

    • Verification of Income Sources (letter from employer)   

    • CRA Notice of Assessment for previous tax year  

    • One government issued identification for all persons 19 years old and older   

    • Copy of utility bill (power, heat, water) if you are responsible to pay for these expenses  

  2. Submit your completed application to Housing NWT in one of the following ways:  

Email:  

CNHB@gov.nt.ca   

  

Mail:  

Housing NWT  

P.O. Box 2100  

Yellowknife, NT   

X1A 2P6  

  

Fax: 867 669 7901   

   

You will be contacted when your application is processed.   

Contact 

Questions or for more information:  

CNHB@gov.nt.ca   

1-855-698-2642