CANADA ANNOUNCES RAPID HOUSING FUNDING FOR ST. JOHN'S

ST. JOHN'S, NL, Sept. 29, 2023 /CNW/ - Today, Joanne Thompson, Member of Parliament for St. John's East on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, Danny Breen, Mayor for the City of St. John's and the Honourable Paul Pike, Minister Responsible for Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation (NLHC) announced $5 million in funding for St. John's, one of the 41 recipients of the third round of the Rapid Housing Initiative's (RHI) Phase 3 Cities Stream.  

As part of its Investment Plan for the Cities Stream, the City of St. John's awarded the funding to Stella's Circle who will renovate a former office building into 15 new homes for women who are experiencing homelessness, fleeing domestic abuse and/or may have had prior involvement with the criminal justice system.

The projects are comprised of:

• a conversion of office space into 6 homes; and
• a newly constructed extension which includes 9 homes.

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, through the NLHC, contributed $800,000 in funding towards this project.

This is made possible by the Government of Canada's additional investment of $1.5 billion through RHI, bringing the program's total to $4 billion to support the country's most vulnerable. The additional funding for the third round of RHI will be divided into two streams: $1 billion through the Projects Stream and $500 million towards the Cities Stream. This investment is expected to create at least 5,000 more affordable housing units for Canadians in severe housing need across the country, with 25% of investments going towards women-focused housing projects. The total number of units created with all three phases of the RHI is now over 15,500 across Canada.

Also included in today's announcement, is a combined $6.1 million investment that will create a total of 20 new homes through the Rapid Housing Initiative Phase 2.

Six new affordable homes are complete and operational in St. John's thanks to Stella's Circle. Four of the homes are reserved for individuals receiving services connected to the Stella's Circle Community Support Program (CSP), of which one home will be reserved for women. The other two homes will be reserved for women who are receiving counselling and support services through the Just Us Women's Centre.

Funding provided for this project is as follows:

• $1.12 million from the federal government through the Rapid Housing Initiative
• $250,000 from the provincial government, through NLHC
• $117,621 in contributions from the Community Housing Transformation Centre
• $410,891 in cash equity from Stella's Circle Foundation Inc.

The Young Parents Resource Centre, completed, operational and fully occupied, is an upstream approach to target at-risk, young women (ages 16 to 29), pregnant young women and parenting young women and their children. This development used traditional construction to build the 14-unit complex (4 one-bedroom units and 10 two-bedroom units). Six units are accessible and the project will achieve high energy efficiency targets. Program supports for tenants will be offered through the existing Momma Moments program, a strengths-based program at Choices for Youth that provides family first oriented supports. The program supports at-risk young pregnant and parenting mothers between the ages of 16-29.

Investments provided for this project are as follows:

• $3.87 million from the federal government, through the Rapid Housing Initiative Phase 2
• Land equity from the provincial government, through NLHC
• $276,105 in cash equity from Choices for Youth
• $100,000 contribution from the City of St. John's

Quotes:

"Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. Through the Rapid Housing Initiative, we are quickly providing new affordable housing units for people who need them most, right across Canada, including right here in St. John's. We are working closely with our partners to create more affordable housing that meets the needs of Canadians."
– The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities 

"Funding renovation and retrofit projects like these ones are a great way to get the local economy moving, because it puts construction workers and tradespeople to work quickly. At the same time, we're improving the quality of life for residents of St. John's, keeping their homes safe and affordable. – Joanne Thompson, Member of Parliament for St. John's East

"The City of St. John's is pleased to be administering this important fund. By working collaboratively, we are addressing an urgent need, creating 35 affordable homes quickly in our community." – Danny Breen, Mayor for the City of St. John's

"Access to a safe and affordable home is important to helping individuals and families build a stable and secure future. Today's announcement highlights the strength of working together with our federal, municipal, and community partners to address diverse housing needs throughout the province and to build stronger and healthier communities." – The Honourable Paul Pike, Minister Responsible for the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation 

Quick facts:

• 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.
• Launched in 2020, the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) is delivered by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), under the NHS.
• The RHI takes a human rights-based approach to housing, serving people experiencing or at risk of homelessness and other vulnerable people under the NHS, including women and children fleeing domestic violence, seniors, young adults, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, people experiencing mental health and addiction issues, veterans, 2SLGBTQI+ individuals, racialized groups, and recent immigrants or refugees.

Related links:

• To find out more, visit RHI3 and eligibility criteria.
• 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 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, 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 Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)

Kevin Collins, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, [email protected]; Media Relations, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, [email protected]