Federal and provincial governments support Saskatchewan housing initiatives

Logo: Government of Canada (CNW Group/Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation)

Logo: Government of Saskatchewan (CNW Group/Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation)

SASKATOON, July 30, 2018 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada and the Province of Saskatchewan are working together to deliver more affordable housing solutions for households in greatest need across Saskatchewan with a combined investment of $6.7 million.

This funding will help create more than 53 affordable housing units through seven projects in seven communities, including:

• $2.54 million for the Northern Town of La Ronge - 10 affordable rental units for seniors in La Ronge;
• $1.1 million for Pinehouse Housing Corporation - nine rental housing units for families in Pinehouse Lake;
• $765,500 for Stewart Properties - 10-unit affordable co-housing project in Saskatoon for pre- and post-natal women living with or at risk of HIV;
• $640,000 for Methy Housing Corporation - six rental housing units for single-parent families in La Loche;
• $612,500 for Canadian Mental Health Association, Prince Albert - six units for individuals with complex needs and mental illness;
• $570,000 for Gabriel Housing Corporation - six units in Regina for families with complex needs who require support services to live independently; and
• $500,000 for Battleford Indian and Métis Friendship Centre - eight-unit co-housing project for chronically and episodically homeless individuals.

The Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister of Status of Women, 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), with the Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, and Greg Lawrence, Legislative Secretary to the Minister of Social Services and MLA for Moose Jaw Wakamow, on behalf of the Honourable Paul Merriman, Minister of Social Services and Minister Responsible for the Saskatchewan Housing Corporation (SHC), and His Worship Charlie Clark, Mayor of the City of Saskatoon, made the announcement at the future site of Sanctum 1.5, a 10-unit affordable co-housing project for pre- and post-natal women living with or at risk of HIV.

Quick Facts

• The federal and provincial governments, through CMHC and SHC, are jointly contributing up to $765,500 towards Sanctum 1.5 under the Canada-Saskatchewan Investment in Affordable Housing (IAH) 2014-2019 Agreement.
• Additional funding of $100,000 is being provided by the City of Saskatoon.
• Located at 133 Avenue O South in the Pleasant Hill neighbourhood in Saskatoon, the project is a 10-bedroom, bungalow-style rooming house with a common kitchen and four bathrooms on the main floor, and service/office/recreational space and storage in the basement. It is 350 m² (3,800 f²) on the main level.
• Support services will be provided by Sanctum Care Group, a community-based organization that works directly with populations affected by HIV/AIDS, addictions, mental illness, homelessness and poverty.
• Stewart Properties, a private corporation, is constructing the project which is estimated to be complete in fall 2018.
• 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.
• This project supports the Government of Saskatchewan's goals to increase the supply of supportive housing options for people who are hard to house or at risk of homelessness.

Quotes

"We're making investments in affordable housing because we believe everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. This groundbreaking ceremony at Sanctum 1.5 marks the start of a truly innovative affordable housing project for pre- and post-natal women in this community. And we're keeping the momentum going—in total, over $6.7 million of funding is going to seven projects in seven communities across the province. With $40 billion over the next 10 years, our Government's first ever National Housing Strategy will continue to make a difference in communities across Canada." — Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister of Status of Women

"Our government is pleased to support the growth of a stronger housing market in Saskatchewan by increasing housing supply, providing housing support to individuals and families in greatest need and creating opportunities for private sector investment in affordable housing. Together with our partners, these seven projects will help Saskatchewan people live in dignity and comfort, and continue to keep Saskatchewan strong." — Greg Lawrence, Legislative Secretary to the Minister of Social Services and MLA for Moose Jaw Wakamow, on behalf of the Honourable Paul Merriman, Minister of Social Services and Minister Responsible for SHC

"The opening of this new housing complex is a positive investment because what is opening today is so much more than a home. The announcement today represents a pathway to a strong quality of life for some of our most vulnerable citizens with housing and community supports being offered together. Safe housing is important for everyone, and I would like to thank Stewart Properties and Sanctum for collaborating to deliver on such an important initiative for our entire community." — His Worship Charlie Clark, Mayor, City of Saskatoon

"As an affordable housing provider, we are extremely honoured to be a part of Sanctum 1.5. This 10-bed boarding house for pregnant mothers with HIV is the first of its kind in Canada. The aggressive goals of Sanctum 1.5 are to help prevent children from entering the foster care system, give mothers a new and unique opportunity to parent their children like never before, and to prevent the vertical transmission of HIV to the baby. We are grateful for a dedicated team who helped bring this initiative to fruition, along with the various levels of government for their financial contribution. If this initiative can be a catalyst for change, it's exciting to be a part of." — Tyler Stewart, President, Stewart Properties

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 us on Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.

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

In October 2012, the Government of Saskatchewan released the Saskatchewan Plan for Growth: Vision 2020 and Beyond, which sets out the Government's vision for a province of 1.2 million people by 2020. The Plan identifies principles, goals and actions to ensure Saskatchewan is capturing the opportunities and meeting the challenges of a growing province. Since 2007, the Government of Saskatchewan has invested more than $780 million to develop or repair over 16,000 housing units across our province. To learn more, visit www.saskatchewan.ca.

SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

Media Contacts: Michael Brewster, Office of Minister Duclos, 613-220-5956, [email protected]; Leonard Catling, CMHC, 604-787-1787, [email protected]; Trish Alcorn, Saskatchewan Ministry of Social Services, 306-787-0916, [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca