MORE THAN FIFTY NEW SUPPORTIVE HOMES OPEN IN SAANICH

SAANICH, BC, Feb. 10, 2023 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, Taleeb Noormohamed, Member of Parliament for Vancouver Granville, Ravi Kahlon, provincial Minister of Housing, Rob Fleming, Member of the Legislative Assembly for Victoria-Swan Lake, Zac de Vries, Capital Regional District (CRD) Board of Director and CRHC Chair, Dean Murdock, District of Saanich, Julian Daly, CEO, Our Place announced combined funding of $13.8 million for 52 new homes for people experiencing homelessness in Saanich. Construction is complete and the project is ready to welcome residents to their new homes.

The five-storey modular building, located at 2933, 2941, 2949 Albina Street, is operated by Our Place. Staff are on site 24 hours a day, to provide services, including security, life-skills training, employment assistance and counselling, access to physical and mental health resources, meals, and referrals to addiction treatment and recovery services. The site also includes an amenity space for residents, office space for staff, and an outdoor gathering area. Four of the studio suites are fully accessible.

Funding provided for this project is as follows:

• $6.9 million from the federal government through the federal Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) Cities Stream
• $6.9 million from the Province's Building BC: Supportive Housing Fund as well as approximately $1.26 million in annual operating funding

Quotes:

"Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. That is why our government created the Rapid Housing Initiative, to rapidly create thousands of affordable housing units in communities across the country, including right here in Saanich, for those most in need. These new homes will not only provide a roof over the heads of individuals and families experiencing homelessness, but they will also give them access to the resources and support they need to succeed. This is our government's National Housing Strategy at work." ? The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion

"Through the Rapid Housing Initiative, our government is creating homes and a stable environment for vulnerable Canadians. This project is giving people a foundation to build their lives and grow within their communities. By addressing the housing crisis facing Canadians, we are making a real difference in people's lives. The investment announced today will help overcome barriers related to housing access. This is one way our government continues to ensure that no one is left behind." ? Taleeb Noormohamed, Member of Parliament for Vancouver Granville

"People experiencing homelessness will now have safe and secure housing in Saanich. We will continue to work with our partners, so we can help more people find a place to call their own, with personalized supports to help them succeed, because when that happens, the whole community benefits." Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing

"With these new homes, more people in Saanich and Greater Victoria will have the opportunity that everyone deserves ? to stay in their community, close to their friends and loved ones, with the supports and services they need to be successful." - Rob Fleming, Member of the Legislative Assembly for Victoria-Swan Lake

"With the opening of Albina in Saanich, organizations like Our Place Society are better positioned to assist those struggling to maintain their housing, achieve lasting stability and a long-term recovery from homelessness. Projects like this, which are essential to addressing the region's housing crisis, are only possible through the ongoing and effective collaborations between local, Provincial, and Federal partners." ? Zac de Vries, CRD Board of Director and CRHC Chair

"This significant investment in supportive housing fills an important need in our community. Partnerships with B.C. Housing, the federal government, the Capital Regional District and Our Place make it possible for us to create homes and provide supports for people in our community. It is very positive to see this level of support where it is most needed." ? Mayor Dean Murdock, District of Saanich

"We're excited to be a partner in offering this opportunity for true and permanent, supportive housing. Through our transitional housing program, our staff worked incredibly hard to help stabilize this community of men and women who have struggled with survival on the streets. We can't wait to see the residents further blossom in this new environment" ? Julian Daly, CEO, Our Place

Quick facts:

• The Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) provides capital contributions to facilitate the rapid construction of new housing and/or acquisition of existing buildings for the purpose of rehabilitation or conversion to permanent affordable, supportive, or transitional housing. The objective is to quickly create new permanent affordable housing units that support people who are vulnerable and prioritized under the National Housing Strategy.
• Through Budget 2022, the Government of Canada is investing an additional $1.5 billion over two years, starting in 2022-23 to extend the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) which is expected to create up to 4,500 new affordable housing units, with at least 25 per cent of funding going towards women-focused housing projects. This initiative was originally announced on September 21, 2020, with a budget of $1 billion. Round 2 was announced June 30, 2021, with a budget of $1.5 billion.
• Canada's National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year, $82-plus billion plan that will give more Canadians a place to call home.
• NHS is built on strong partnerships between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments, and continuous engagement with others, including municipalities, Indigenous governments and organizations, and the social and private housing sectors. This includes consultations with Canadians from all walks of life, and people with lived experience of housing need.
• All NHS investments delivered by the federal, provincial, and territorial governments will respect the key principles of NHS that support partnerships, people, and communities.
• This project is part of B.C.'s 10-year, $7-billion housing plan. Since 2017, the Province has funded more than 36,000 affordable new homes that have been completed or are underway for people in B.C., including more than 5,600 homes in the Capital Regional District.

Additional Information:

• 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.
• To learn about the steps the Province is taking to tackle the housing crisis and deliver affordable homes for British Columbians, visit: https://workingforyou.gov.bc.ca/
• A map showing the location of all announced provincially-funded housing projects in B.C. is available online at: https://www.bchousing.org/homes-for-BC

SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation