CANADA INVESTS $10 MILLION TO BUILD 175 NEW AFFORDABLE HOMES AND BEDS IN EDMONTON

EDMONTON, AB , June 9, 2023 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Tourism, and Associate Minister of Finance and Member of Parliament for Edmonton Centre, Amarjeet Sohi, Mayor of Edmonton, Scott Pearce, President of Federation of Canadian Municipalities and Major Margaret McLeod, Divisional Commander from The Salvation Army, celebrated the grand opening and announced a combined investment of more than $38 million to construct 175 affordable homes and beds for individuals struggling with homelessness and substance use in Edmonton.

Grace Village is a new addiction and residential care building located at 12520 140 Avenue NW, adjacent to the Salvation Army's senior residence. This Net Zero Energy-Ready (NZER) building will be owned and operated by The Salvation Army. The project will accommodate three major programs for vulnerable people in Edmonton including 32 beds for residents in the Recovery Stabilization program, 71 transitional homes to help those experiencing homelessness and 72 supportive homes for residents who've experienced homelessness and face daily challenges on their road to recovery. These investments will help vulnerable residents play a meaningful role in communities and rebound from substance use and homelessness, making the transition to a permanent home easier.

Funding for this project includes:

• $10 million in a forgivable loan through the National Housing Co-investment Fund and $150,000 in Seed Funding
• $2.5 million from the City of Edmonton through its Affordable Housing Investment Program
• $3.3 million capital grant and $3.3 million loan through the Sustainable Affordable Housing Initiative delivered by Federation of Canadian Municipalities' (FCM) Green Municipal Fund through an endowment from the Government of Canada.
• $8.1 million contribution from the Salvation Army and $1.8 million in land equity
• $9 million in donations to the Salvation Army from the community-at-large

Funding from the FCM was focused on helping to design a building as Net Zero Energy Ready (NZER) with optimized equipment selection to reduce natural gas and electrical energy use including geothermal heating/cooling, phased-in solar panels, high-efficiency water heaters, and energy recovery ventilators.

These units will offer on-site support services to residents including health care aides, nurses, and a program supervisor. Support services will be administered by a dedicated case counselor working with each resident to develop a transition plan from entry to discharge, with assistance in finding permanent housing, food/housekeeping, spiritual care, job searching, individual counselling and skills development. These wrap-around services will aim to provide learning opportunities to residents, to allow them to acquire and practice skills to live in their community.

"Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. With today's announcement, the Government of Canada is working hard to create a safe environment where individuals can receive the necessary supports they need in order to thrive. These 175 new homes and beds will give Edmonton's most vulnerable residents a place to recover, rebuild and thrive. This is another way that the National Housing Strategy ensures that no one is left behind." ? The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion

"A secure, safe, and accessible home is essential to the quality of life of all Edmontonians. Today's announcement marks a significant step in addressing housing demand in the Edmonton region and in Canada. By investing in projects like Grace Village, our government is ensuring that those who need it most will continue to have safe and affordable homes that meet their needs." Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Tourism, and Associate Minister of Finance and Member of Parliament for Edmonton Centre 

"With the opening of Grace Village, hundreds of Edmontonians will find a safe home and the supports needed to build a better future. This project is a testament to the generosity of Edmontonians, the long history of compassion from The Salvation Army, and the power of collaboration." ? Amarjeet Sohi, Mayor of Edmonton

"Investments like the one being announced today in Edmonton will help cities and communities of all sizes tackle affordable housing challenges, create jobs and build a greener, more sustainable country. We deliver results with our federal partners by supporting local leadership to find innovative ways to save energy and energy-related costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Together, we are on the path to net zero and are also contributing to the response to affordability issues." ? Scott Pearce, President of Federation of Canadian Municipalities

"Grace Village looks beyond the present for the residents who will call it home. Many have lost their way and are lacking hope, here they will find a modern, safe, welcoming place to live and move forward on their journey. Safety, stability, grace and support will envelope them." ? Divisional Commander Margaret McLeod, The Salvation Army (TBC)

• The National Housing Co-Investment Fund (NHCF) is a program under the National Housing Strategy (NHS) that gives priority to projects that help people who need it most, including women and children fleeing family violence, seniors, Indigenous peoples, people living with disabilities, those with mental health or addiction issues, veterans, and young adults.
• The Government of Canada's National Housing Strategy (NHS) is an ambitious, 10-year plan that will invest more than $82 billion to give more Canadians a place to call home.

• 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. CMHC's aim is that by 2030, everyone in Canada has a home they can afford and that meets their needs. For more information, please visit cmhc.ca or follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.
• To find out more about the National Housing Strategy, please visit www.placetocallhome.ca.
• Check out the National Housing Strategy Housing Funding Initiatives Map to see affordable housing projects that have been developed across Canada.

SOURCE Government of Canada