Family housing project officially opens in Prince Albert

PRINCE ALBERT, SK, Sept. 18, 2018 /CNW/ - The governments of Canada and Saskatchewan, along with River Bank Development Corporation (River Bank), officially opened six single-family homes with support services for large families receiving crisis or life-skills assistance in Prince Albert.

The Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), along with the Honourable Joe Hargrave, Minister of Crown Investments Corporation and Member of the Legislative Assembly for Prince Albert Carlton, on behalf of the Honourable Paul Merriman, Minister of Social Services and Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Housing Corporation (SHC), and Brian Howell, Manager of River Bank, made the announcement today.

Quotes:

"Over the next ten years, the National Housing Strategy will remove 530,000 families from housing need. When we help low-income households access housing, we're doing more than putting a roof over their heads. We are helping them build a foundation for broader social and economic success. Alongside our partners at the Province and River Bank Development Corporation, we're delivering local solutions to housing that make a big difference to families?right now." ? Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

"The Province is pleased to support six families in their journey towards success, beginning with a safe, stable home.  These families will also receive the supports they need, including crisis and life-skills assistance, to help them succeed. We are pleased to work with the Federal Government and River Bank to serve Saskatchewan people in greatest need, and continue to keep Saskatchewan strong." ? Honourable Joe Hargrave. Minister of Crown Investments Corporation and Member of the Legislative Assembly for Prince Albert Carlton

"River Bank is pleased to continue our work to house families in Prince Albert. Working with our partners, the Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan and local organizations, Native Co-ordinating Council, Family Futures and KidsFirst, we continue to support families by providing safe and affordable housing." ? Brian Howell, Manager, River Bank Development Corporation

Quick facts:

• The project consists of the acquisition and renovation of six single-family homes. The average size of the homes is 1,852 square feet (172 square metres) over two levels. Renovations include the development of one or two additional bedrooms in the basement to better suit larger families.
• The homes are located in the East and West Flat and Midtown neighbourhoods of Prince Albert.
• The Government of Canada, through CMHC, and the Government of Saskatchewan, through SHC, jointly contributed $630,500 to this project under the Canada-Saskatchewan Investment in Affordable Housing Agreement (Social Infrastructure Fund).
• The Government of Canada is currently rolling out its National Housing Strategy (NHS), an ambitious 10-year, $40 billion plan that will create 100,000 new housing units and lift 530,000 families out of housing need, as well as repair and renew more than 300,000 housing units and reduce chronic homelessness by 50 percent.
• The NHS is built on strong partnerships between federal, provincial and territorial governments, and on continuous engagement with others, including municipalities, Indigenous governments and organizations, and the social and private sectors to make a meaningful difference in the lives of Canadians.
• This project is aligned with a number of strategic priorities that were outlined in the Province's Housing Strategy, the Poverty Reduction Strategy, the Mental Health and Addictions Action Plan and the Disability Strategy. These priorities include the need to increase housing supply, improve housing affordability and support individuals and families in greatest housing need.
• River Bank is a non-profit corporation operating in Prince Albert since 1998. Their mandate is to promote social and economic development in Prince Albert's low-income community.

Associated Links:

As Canada's authority on housing, CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need, and offers unbiased housing research and advice to all levels of Canadian government, consumers and the housing industry. For more information, please visit cmhc.ca or follow us on Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.

To find out more about the NHS, visit www.placetocallhome.ca.

In October 2012, the Government of Saskatchewan released the Saskatchewan Plan for Growth: Vision 2020 and Beyond, which sets out the Government's vision for a province of 1.2 million people by 2020. The Plan identifies principles, goals and actions to ensure Saskatchewan is capturing the opportunities and meeting the challenges of a growing province. Since 2007, the Government of Saskatchewan has invested more than $780 million to develop or repair more than 16,000 housing units across our province. To learn more, visit www.saskatchewan.ca.

SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation