Subject: REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS
Celebrating New Affordable Rental Housing in Niagara Region
ST. CATHARINES, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - June 27, 2017) - An official groundbreaking was held today for a new affordable housing complex coming to 527 Carlton Street, in St. Catharines.
The St. Catharines development received more than $11 million in funding from the Government of Canada and Government of Ontario through the Investment in Affordable Housing agreement. This Niagara Regional Housing facility will help residents currently on the region's affordable housing waiting list.
Chris Bittle, Member of Parliament for St. Catharines, on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, along with Nathalie Des Rosiers, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Housing and Member of Provincial Parliament for Ottawa-Vanier, on behalf of Chris Ballard, Ontario's Minister of Housing and the Minister Responsible for the Poverty Reduction Strategy, were on hand for the announcement. Alan Caslin, Chair of Niagara Regional Council, and Walter Sendzik, Mayor of St. Catharines, also spoke at the event.
Once completed, the development at 527 Carlton Street will consist of 64 one-bedroom units, eight two-bedroom units and 13 accessible units, which will be a combination of one and two-bedroom units. The two-bedroom accessible units are designed to accommodate a caregiver or medical equipment.
Today's event also celebrated other affordable housing developments in Niagara Region:
- Birchwood Place, located at 235 Fitch Street in Welland, which received more than $6.2 million in funding for 67 units of affordable housing.
- Gateway Residential & Community Support Services at 4750 Huron Street in Niagara Falls, which received $730,000 in funding for nine units of affordable housing for persons with mental health challenges.
Quick Facts:
- St. Catharines has one of the highest rates of affordable housing need in Niagara, with a waiting period of approximately 12 years for a one-bedroom unit, according to A Housing Needs Analysis conducted by Niagara Region.
- There are more than 5,000 households on Niagara's Centralized Waiting List for affordable housing, including all ages and demographics, as of February 2017.
Quotes:
"The peace of mind that comes with having a secure and stable home is invaluable. St. Catharines and Niagara has long been plagued with a severe lack of affordable and accessible housing. Today's announcement is proof positive of our government's commitment towards investments in affordable housing, made in Budgets 2016 and 2017. Access to affordable housing will help grow the middle glass and keep residents in Niagara, continuing to bolster our local economy. " - Chris Bittle, Member of Parliament for St. Catharines
"Creating new affordable housing options in communities across the province will help residents moving into these new state-of-the-art facilities focus on other aspects of their lives. When people are able to do that, amazing things can happen for both them and their families." - Nathalie Des Rosiers, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Housing
"Investing in affordable housing for Niagara residents and seniors is the responsible thing to do. Regional Council has made projects such as 527 Carlton Street a priority and we are pleased to partner with the Government of Ontario, CMHC, and community partners like the Carlton United Church to see them completed. Having a safe and stable housing situation will help our residents thrive through greater opportunities and ensure that everyone has a place to call home." - Alan Caslin, Niagara Regional Chair
"Today we're breaking ground on the first new Niagara Regional Housing build in St. Catharines in 40 years. As the price of housing continues to climb and the need for decent, affordable housing continues to grow, this new building will be the start of a new beginning for 85 families to have a safe, affordable and beautiful place to call home." - Walter Sendzik, Mayor, St. Catharines
"Niagara Regional Housing is committed to providing quality, affordable housing in the Niagara Region - in 2014, we were able to build a new building on Fitch Street in Welland. Now, building on that success, Niagara Regional Housing will add 85 units of affordable housing stock here on Carlton Street in St. Catharines, addressing an area of the Niagara Region with the highest need. This building is sure to be a testament to what can be accomplished when everyone works to a common goal." - Henry D'Angela, Board Chair of the Niagara Regional Housing
Associated links:
- Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has been helping Canadians meet their housing needs for more than 70 years. 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 Canadian governments, consumers and the housing industry. Prudent risk management, strong corporate governance and transparency are cornerstones of CMHC's operations. For more information, please call 1-800-668-2642 or visit www.cmhc.ca.
- Investing in affordable housing programs is part of Ontario's plan to create jobs, grow the economy and help people in their everyday lives. Since 2003, the province has committed more than $5 billion in funding for affordable housing, which has helped support more than 22,000 new affordable rental housing units, more than 335,000 repairs and improvements to social and affordable housing units and rental and down payment assistance to more than 93,000 households in need. These investments complement the commitments made through Ontario's recent Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy update, and support the province's goal of ending chronic homelessness by 2025. For more information on affordable housing in Ontario, visit ontario.ca/affordablehousing.
Stay connected:
- Follow CMHC on Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.
- Follow Ontario's Ministry of Housing on Twitter.
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