MEMRAMCOOK, NB, July 5, 2018 /CNW/ - Families and vulnerable Canadians in need of an affordable place to call home can count on long-term funding for community housing in New Brunswick thanks to an agreement signed today by the federal and provincial governments.
The Honorable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Canada's Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), and the Honourable Cathy Rogers, Minister of Finance, on behalf of the Honourable Stephen Horsman, Minister of Families and Children, today announced they have reached a bilateral agreement under the National Housing Strategy (NHS). This agreement, which will be cost-shared by the governments of Canada and New Brunswick, demonstrates a joint commitment to prioritize affordable housing.
The 10-year agreement will invest nearly $300 million to protect, renew and expand social and community housing, and support New Brunswick's priorities related to housing repair, construction, and affordability. The governments of Canada and New Brunswick will also work together on the design and implementation of a new Canada Housing Benefit for the province, to provide affordability support directly to families and individuals in housing need. The new agreement marks the beginning of a partnership that will be supported by long-term and predictable funding starting April 1, 2019.
This is a progressive housing agreement that commits the governments of Canada and New Brunswick to new and higher standards of transparency, public engagement, and housing quality, including improved energy efficiency and accessibility. The agreement also acknowledges the importance of prioritizing people most in need, incorporating a human rights-based approach to housing, and applying a gender lens to all investments.
Quotes:
"The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that every Canadian has a safe and affordable place to call home. Long-term, predictable funding for housing has been needed for more than a decade. Today, with the New Brunswick government, we have taken a significant step toward our goal of building strong communities where Canadian families can prosper and thrive, now and for the future. Our Government will continue working in partnership with New Brunswick and other provinces and territories towards a 15% expansion in new affordable housing units and renewing 20% of existing community housing units across the country." – Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
"This new agreement with our federal partners will allow our governments to make a significant investment into New Brunswick's housing portfolio – from bricks and mortar to programs – in order to ensure our most vulnerable populations have safe, affordable and adequate housing options for years to come." – Honourable Cathy Rogers, Minister of Finance
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SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Media contacts: Michael Brewster, Office of Minister Duclos, 613-220-5956, [email protected]; Catherine Leger, CMHC, 514-475-5165, [email protected]
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