OTTAWA The federal government has appointed former Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC) chief executive Evan Siddall as the inaugural chair of Build Canada Homes, putting an experienced investment banker and public servant with longstanding links to Prime Minister Mark Carney at the helm of the agency’s board.
Siddall served as CEO of CMHC from late 2013 until 2021, a period during which he was involved in the development of the Liberal government’s national housing strategy.
Before taking on his new role, Siddall was vice-chair at BMO Capital Markets. His professional background also includes leading Alberta’s AIMCo pension fund manager, as well as positions at Goldman Sachs and Irving Oil.
His connection to Prime Minister Mark Carney dates back to Carney’s time as governor of the Bank of Canada, when Siddall worked for several years as a special adviser to him.
The federal Liberals launched Build Canada Homes nearly a year ago. In June, however, the agency was transformed into a Crown corporation, requiring it to operate under the oversight of an independent board of directors.
According to the federal government, Siddall will initially exercise the board’s powers on his own while the government completes the process of appointing at least eight additional directors.
The appointment marks a key step in establishing the governance structure of Build Canada Homes as the federal agency moves forward with its mandate in the affordable housing sector.
