Over sixty new homes open for seniors, people with disabilities in Nanaimo

NANAIMO, BC, Aug. 29, 2023 /CNW/ - Seniors and people living with disabilities in Nanaimo now have more affordable housing options with the opening of 62 new homes at Sunfield Manor.

Today, the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities,  Taleeb Noormohamed, Member of Parliament for Vancouver Granville, Ravi Kahlon, BC Minister of Housing, Sheila Malcolmson, Member of the Legislative Assembly for Nanaimo, Harwinder Sandhu, BC Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors' Services and Long-Term Care, Leonard Krog, Mayor of Nanaimo, Kerry Howell, President of the Woodgrove Senior Citizens Housing Society announced the opening of Sunfield Manor, a 62-unit rental home for moderate and low-income seniors in Nanaimo.

Located at 1135 Seafield Cres., the newly opened five-storey building has 54 one-bedroom and eight two-bedroom homes, most of them with their own patio or deck. It is owned and operated by the Woodgrove Senior Citizens Housing Society. Twelve of the units are fully accessible with the remaining being adaptable.

Sunfield Manor is near the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital and has office space for the society, a shared amenity space for residents and a mobility scooter storage area.

Half the units will have rent geared to income, where rent is 30 percent of the tenant's income. Some of the units will be rented to households with very low incomes, such as those receiving income or disability assistance, or a basic seniors' pension. Others will be rented at below-market rates.

This project is part of a two-phase redevelopment proposed for the 2.4-acre site. Tenants of an existing 30-unit building on the property, Seafield Manor, are moving into the new building. Once vacant, Seafield Manor will then be demolished to make room for a proposed future phase that would add even more new housing on the site. Residents moving from Seafield Manor will see no change to their rent.

"Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home, especially our seniors who have done so much for us and deserve to retire in dignity. Not only do these new homes provide secure housing, but they also allow residents to maintain their independence and live in the communities they helped build." ? The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities 

"Our government has a proven record of helping seniors in the community. This investment from the Government of Canada's National Housing Co-investment Fund is improving the economic and social well-being of the seniors who call Sunfield Manor their home and is making Nanaimo a better place to live. When people have a stable home to age in place, they gain the confidence they need to succeed. We will continue to work with our partners to make sure seniors across Canada have the housing they need and deserve." ?Taleeb Noormohamed, Member of Parliament for Vancouver Granville 

"These 62 new homes will give seniors and people with disabilities in Nanaimo an affordable place to live and help them stay in their community. This project is an amazing example of people and organizations working together to build the housing we need to keep our communities whole, and I want to commend everyone involved for bringing it together." ?  Ravi Kahlon, BC Minister of Housing

"We all want seniors to have safe and affordable homes here. Working together with partners like the Woodgrove Senior Citizens Housing Society, we have built more affordable rental housing in Nanaimo for seniors"  ?  Sheila Malcolmson, MLA for Nanaimo 

"This new housing project will provide security, peace of mind and new opportunities for many seniors in Nanaimo. We will continue to work in partnership across the province to build new affordable homes like these that allow our seniors to retire and live independently in the communities they call home." ? Harwinder Sandhu, Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors' Services and Long-Term Care 

"This project shows that with commitment and compassion, good things can be accomplished. People who might otherwise not be able to find affordable housing will have safe and secure affordable places to live. This is a banner day and we offer our congratulations to all who made it possible." ? Leonard Krog, Mayor of Nanaimo

"We are thrilled to see this much needed seniors' housing open in Nanaimo. By replacing an ageing building with new, modern units we will improve quality of life for residents, and also make better use of the land to significantly increase the total number of affordable housing on this site. We would like to thank our dedicated Board members, past and present, for their efforts and all of our funders for their support." ? Kerry Howell, President, Woodgrove Senior Citizens Housing Society

Funding provided for this project is as follows: 

• • $2.7 million from the federal government through the National Housing Co-Investment Fund (NHCF)
  • $6.6 million from the Province of British Columbia through the Building BC: Community Housing Fund and approximately $268,000 in annual operating funding
  • $200,000 in capital funding and $1.2 million in land equity from Woodgrove Senior Citizens Housing Society 
  • The City of Nanaimo waived a portion of the development charges
• The National Housing Co-Investment Fund (NHCF) is a $13.2 billion 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 with disabilities, those with mental health or addiction issues, veterans, and young adults.
• Budget 2022 advanced $2.9 billion in funding under the NHCF to accelerate the creation of up to 4,300 new units and the repair of up to 17,800 units.
• 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.
• For more information on Government of Canada housing initiatives: Housing Canada
• This project is part of a $19-billion housing investment by the B.C. government. Since 2017, the Province has more than 76,000 homes that have been delivered or are underway, including more than 1,600 in Nanaimo.

• 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
• For more information on Government of Canada housing initiatives: Housing Canada
• To learn more about government's new Homes for People action plan, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023HOUS0019-000436
• 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/.

SOURCE Government of Canada