Former CMHC chief Evan Siddall named chair of Build Canada Homes
The federal government has appointed former Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation CEO Evan Siddall as the new federal housing agency moves toward full operations as a Crown corporation.
Siddall will chair the agency’s board and, under transitional provisions in the Build Canada Homes Act, exercise the board’s powers until at least eight directors have been appointed. The government said work to fill those positions is underway.
Build Canada Homes was launched in September 2025 as a special operating agency within Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada. It became a Crown corporation in June following royal assent of the Build Canada Homes Act.
The agency is focused primarily on non-market housing and can support projects through contributions, loans and loan guarantees. It also aims to encourage innovative construction methods and the use of Canadian technology, workers and building materials.
The government says Build Canada Homes has committed to nearly 17,000 units through 17 partnerships, including more than 1,900 homes already under construction.
“Evan Siddall’s appointment will provide Build Canada Homes the governance foundations needed to advance its mandate,” CEO Ana Bailão said in a statement.
A return to federal housing policy
Siddall led CMHC from January 2014 until April 2021, a period that included the development and initial rollout of Canada’s first National Housing Strategy. According to the federal government, he helped develop more than 30 housing programs as well as a federal-provincial-territorial housing accord.
Programs introduced during his tenure included the National Housing Co-Investment Fund, Rental Construction Financing Initiative and First-Time Home Buyer Incentive.
Siddall also became a prominent voice on mortgage-market risk and household indebtedness. He defended mortgage stress testing and argued against policies that stimulated housing demand through increased borrowing, maintaining that such measures could undermine affordability and financial stability.
Before joining CMHC, Siddall served as a special adviser to the governor of the Bank of Canada and held senior positions at BMO Nesbitt Burns, Goldman Sachs, Lazard and Irving Oil.
After leaving CMHC, he served as CEO of the Alberta Investment Management Corporation from 2021 to 2024 and most recently as vice-chair of BMO Capital Markets. He also served as executive secretary to the Canada-British Columbia Expert Panel on the Future of Housing Supply and Affordability.
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Ana Bailão Build Canada Homes Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation CMHC Evan Siddall federal government
Last modified: August 10, 2026
