An Often Overlooked Opportunity
For investors operating in the multifamily housing space, CMHC’s MLI Select program represents one of the most strategic financing tools currently available. Built to encourage the development of socially responsible rental housing, the program rewards projects that prioritize long-term impact with enhanced loan-to-value ratios, extended amortization periods, and reduced mortgage insurance premiums.
To qualify, a project must earn a minimum of 50 points, awarded across three performance-based categories:
● Affordability
● Energy Efficiency
● Accessibility
Since MLI Select’s launch in 2022, most investors have relied on affordability and energy efficiency to meet eligibility. These criteria are often seen as more straightforward to implement, with clearly defined metrics and minimal disruption to conventional development models.
But the third pillar, accessibility, remains significantly underutilized. In overlooking it, many investors are missing a rare opportunity to align with long-term demographic demand, capture untapped market share, and secure the same financial benefits offered through the program’s other streams.
Even as a disabled veteran, accessibility in housing wasn’t something I had deeply considered—until it became personal. My grandmother was experiencing physical barriers in her home that made everyday tasks increasingly difficult. While she is fully capable of living independently, her housing made that independence unnecessarily challenging: high upper cabinets, tub-shower combinations, multi-step entryways, and top-load laundry machines created daily frustrations and risks.
When we began searching for a new place, I quickly realized how limited her options were. Even the units labeled as “accessible” or “senior-friendly” lacked the dignity, functionality, and comfort she deserved.
We expanded our search to include senior housing and retirement homes, but the results were no better. The options remained limited and overwhelmingly expensive. One residence we toured had a 10-year waitlist, while others offered only institutional layouts with little privacy or personal autonomy. For many Canadian seniors living on fixed incomes, these options are simply unaffordable. The disconnect between what people need and what the market provides was impossible to ignore.
What began as a family need, quickly revealed itself as a national gap in supply and strategy.
So in January, I decided to take action. I enrolled in the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification (RHFAC) Professional course through the University of Alberta. In May, I successfully challenged the CSA Group exam and earned my designation as a certified RHFAC Professional.
This credential means that CMI now has an in-house accessibility consultant qualified to assess and score buildings under MLI Select’s accessibility stream. This positions us to approach real estate with greater intention, functionality, and long-term livability, while also enabling our future projects to potentially qualify for premium financing incentives.
At CMI, we have always been committed to being faithful stewards of both our resources and our responsibility to serve others. We believe real estate is a powerful tool to strengthen communities and care for those who are often overlooked. Earning this designation not only equips us to evaluate and implement meaningful change, it also positions CMI to pursue a new and impactful avenue of real estate investing—one that reflects our values, advances our mission, and honours our calling to build with purpose.
Madison Cross, RHFAC Professional
