More Affordable Housing in Winnipeg Coming soon

The Governments of Canada and Manitoba, and the City of Winnipeg today announced $10.7 million in funding for Place La Charette, a new affordable housing project to be managed by Ten Ten Sinclair Housing Inc. Left to right: Ken Cassin, Managing Director of 1010 Sinclair, Kerri Irvin-Ross, Minister of Manitoba Housing and Community Development, Steven Fletcher, Minister of State for Democratic Reform; John Wyndels, Vice-Chair of Ten Ten Sinclair and Winnipeg City Councillor Mike Pagtakhan


December 3, 2010

WINNIPEG HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS INITIATIVE CELEBRATES 37 NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS FOR FAMILIES AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Winnipeg, Manitoba – The Governments of Canada and Manitoba, and the City of Winnipeg today announced $10.7 million in funding for Place La Charette, a new affordable housing project to be managed by Ten Ten Sinclair Housing Inc. The 37 new units will enhance housing quality and accessibility for families and people with disabilities in Winnipeg.

 

The announcement was made by the Honourable Steven Fletcher, Minister of State (Democratic Reform), on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC); the Honourable Kerri Irvin-Ross, Minister of Housing and Community Development; and Councillor Mike Pagtakhan, on behalf of Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz.

 

“The Government of Canada is committed to making affordable housing available in Manitoba and across Canada for those who need it most,” said Minister Fletcher. “The construction of Place La Charette means that more individuals and families will have access to barrier-free, affordable housing here in Winnipeg.”

 

“Ten Ten Sinclair has been the driving force in the development of community housing for physically disabled Manitobans for decades,” said Minister Irvin-Ross. “Our goal as government is to help people with disabilities participate fully in society. Through initiatives like this and other new visitable housing developments, we are opening doors, providing a range of housing options for all families in Manitoba.”

 

“Being able to provide housing that is not only affordable, but tailored structurally for people living with a disability, is something we at the City are very proud to be a part of,” said Councillor Pagtakhan. “Having a safe and secure place to call home with the amenities to make daily living enjoyable is something the tenants of this facility will be able to experience for years to come.”

 

Place La Charette will be a combination of a 31-unit, three-storey apartment complex and six bungalow houses, for a total of 37 units for low-income families and people with disabilities in the neighbourhood of St. Norbert. The project is modeled after the recently completed Place Betrand in St. Boniface and will incorporate fully accessible design features into all of the units as well as geothermal heating. 

 

The funding was made available through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, the federal government’s plan to stimulate the economy and create jobs during the global recession, and through the extension of the Affordable Housing Initiative. The federal and provincial governments are contributing equally to an overall investment of $176 million under the amended Canada-Manitoba Affordable Housing Initiative Agreement.

 

Persons with disabilities often have difficulty finding housing that meets their specific needs. Canada’s Economic Action Plan provides $75 million over two years to build new rental housing for persons with disabilities. Overall, the Economic Action Plan includes $2 billion for the construction of new and the renovation of existing social housing, plus up to $2 billion in low-cost loans to municipalities for housing-related infrastructure.

 

Through Manitoba’s Long-Term Housing Strategy, HOMEWorks!, the Province of Manitoba, with the financial assistance of the Government of Canada is contributing $378 million over two years for housing initiatives in Winnipeg and across the province. HOMEWorks! supports ALL Aboard, Manitoba’s Poverty Reduction strategy by increasing the supply of quality, affordable housing for low-income Manitobans. More information about HOMEWorks! is available at www.gov.mb.ca/housing.

 

Canada’s Economic Action Plan builds on the Government of Canada’s commitment in 2008 of more than $1.9 billion, over five years, to improve and build new affordable housing and help the homeless.

 

The amendment to the Canada-Manitoba Affordable Housing Initiative Agreement, which included funding under Canada's Economic Action Plan, signed in May 2009, brought federal housing support of $88 million to the province. The Government of Manitoba will match that commitment for a total of $176 million to assist those in housing need and, in collaboration with other levels of government and community partners, to make various types of affordable housing programs possible. In Manitoba, federal-provincial housing programs are delivered through the province’s department of Housing and Community Development.

 

More information on this and other measures in Canada’s Economic Action Plan, the federal government’s plan to stimulate the economy and protect those hit hardest by the global recession, can be found at www.actionplan.gc.ca.  

 

To find out more about how the Government of Canada and CMHC are working to build stronger homes and communities for all Canadians, call CMHC at 1-800-668-2642 or visit www.cmhc.ca/housingactionplan.

  

Since 2000, the Winnipeg Housing and Homelessness Initiative (WHHI) – a partnership between Canada, Manitoba and the City of Winnipeg – has committed almost $185 million to repair, rehabilitate, or construct over 8,400 housing units as well as assist those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. The WHHI is a single-window office for community organizations to access information on government-funded housing and homelessness programs. For more information, visit www.whhi.ca.

 

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The Province of Manitoba is distributing this release on behalf of the Government of Canada, City of Winnipeg and Province of Manitoba.