Bar-V-Nook Manor officially opens

SMOKY LAKE, AB, Oct.12, 2018 /CNW/ - The Governments of Canada and Alberta are making lives better for seniors in Smoky Lake and surrounding communities with the grand opening of the new Bar-V-Nook Manor. Sixty new units offer increased flexibility to seniors in the level of care they can access and allows them to remain close to their families and communities.

The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Natural Resources, 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 Lori Sigurdson, Minister of Alberta Seniors and Housing, made the announcement today.

Quotes:

"Our Government remains committed to helping seniors in Smoky Lake and throughout the country. We are taking actions to support seniors to ensure they can retire with dignity, including restoring the retirement age from 67 to 65, and increasing GIS and OAS. That is why I'm happy to see that construction is now complete at Bar-V-Nook Manor. The new manor will improve the well-being and sense of security for seniors here. Our investment in this community helped create new jobs and boosted the local economy?this is a big win for everyone involved." ? Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Natural Resources

"I know seniors want to live close to their family, friends and the services they count on. The new Bar-V-Nook Manor will help seniors in Smoky Lake do just that. I am proud of our Government's investment in safe, affordable housing like this facility. To all the new residents: welcome home."
? Honourable Lori Sigurdson, Minister of Seniors and Housing

"The Smoky Lake Foundation is so fortunate to have new modern, large, suites and amenities to accommodate our community's seniors for the coming decades. We thank the governments of Canada and Alberta for their significant investment in this community." ? Doug Mills, Chief Administrative Officer, Smoky Lake Foundation

Quick facts:

• The governments of Canada and Alberta provided a combined investment of $23 million for this redevelopment project, under the Investment in Affordable Housing Agreement.
• The new Bar-V-Nook Manor replaces the existing facility, with capacity increasing from 48 to 60 units.
• 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

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 them on Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.

To find out more about the National Housing Strategy, visit www.placetocallhome.ca.

The Alberta Ministry of Seniors and Housing fosters the development of affordable housing and supports access to housing options for Albertans most in need. The Alberta government is investing $1.2 billion for affordable housing capital needs. To achieve these outcomes, the ministry works with seniors, Albertans who require housing supports, their families and caregivers, communities and other government partners. A more detailed description of the ministry and its programs and initiatives can be found at www.seniors-housing.gov.ab.ca.

SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation