Canada interested in Azerbaijan's affordable housing experience - EXCLUSIVE

Canada has expressed interest in studying the practical experience of South Caucasus and Central Asian countries, including Azerbaijan, in providing affordable housing for the population, Cheri Reddin, Director General at Canada's Ministry of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, told Report on the sidelines of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13).

She said inclusiveness and housing affordability remain top priorities for Canada.

"In this regard, our main focus is currently on affordable housing," she said. "In Canadian practice, housing is considered affordable if costs do not exceed around 30% of total annual household income. However, in reality, many Canadians are forced to spend a much larger share of their income on housing."

Reddin noted that Canada is actively implementing measures to increase housing construction in order to expand supply, improve affordability, and reduce market pressure.

"That is why we are interested in studying the practices of countries in the Caucasus and Central Asia in this field. This will help us develop approaches that meet the real needs and expectations of the population," she added.

She also emphasized that Canada intends to continue cooperation through United Nations platforms, sharing its own experience while learning from international best practices and adapting them to Canadian realities for domestic implementation.