GOVERNMENTS OF CANADA AND ONTARIO CELEBRATE OPENING OF AFFORDABLE PASSIVE HOUSING PROJECT IN WINDSOR

WINDSOR, ON, Sept. 11, 2023 /CNW/ - The Governments of Canada and Ontario are celebrating the opening of a 145-unit affordable housing project by the Windsor Essex Community Housing Corporation (WECHC), in Windsor.

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

The federal government has provided $33.8 million, $13.3 million of which is a contribution, through the National Housing Co-Investment Fund (NHCF) for this project. This is in addition to the just over $5 million in funding announced for the project in September 2020 by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario through the Social Infrastructure Fund (SIF), the Investment in Affordable Housing (IAH) program, and the Ontario Priorities Housing Initiative (OPHI).

Meadowbrook Place, located at 3100 Meadowbrook Lane, is Ontario's largest "passive house" multi-residential building and features 145 units of much needed housing for those of all income levels as well as small families and seniors. The complex features 46 accessible units, and includes both indoor and outdoor shared spaces, and outdoor fitness equipment. Construction on the project began in late November 2019 and began welcoming residents in the Summer of 2023.

Quotes:

"Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. Through the National Housing Co-Investment Fund, small families, individuals, and seniors in Windsor now have access to more housing options to raise their families or access to critical support services at a time of need. Meadowbrook Place will help increase the availability of affordable homes and support those in need in Windsor."– The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities 

"Building affordable housing today is more important than ever, and that is exactly what we are doing for residents of Windsor—Tecumseh through our National Housing Co-Investment Fund. This historic project – the first public housing project in our community in thirty years – is possible because of strong partnerships and strong federal leadership on housing."  – Irek Kusmierczyk, Member of Parliament for Windsor—Tecumseh and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion

"I'm so pleased to see the incredible progress that has been made by the Windsor-Essex Community Housing Corporation here at Meadowbrook Place, which our government is proud to support. It's great to see all levels of government coming together to address Windsor's housing needs and support our communities most vulnerable, including those at risk of homelessness." – The Honourable Paul Calandra, Ontario's Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing

"Our government's historic investments in affordable and supportive housing in our community are a clear sign of our commitment to Windsor and all of southwestern Ontario. We're going to keep fighting to get shovels in the ground and build the homes our residents need and deserve."  - Andrew Dowie, Member of Provincial Parliament for Windsor–Tecumseh

"Today is a day of celebration, Meadowbrook Place represents the accomplishments of so many people and organizations, from our amazing community partners to the senior levels of government. The most important thing to celebrate today is that Meadowbrook has become an integral part of our neighbourhood - a vibrant and welcoming community that our tenants and their families now proudly get to call home." – Cynthia Summers, CEO of Windsor Essex Community 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.
• 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 proposes to advance $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.
• The Social Infrastructure Fund (SIF) and Investment in Affordable Housing (IAH) Program helped service managers build, renovate, and provide critical affordable housing. Service managers had the flexibility to select which program components to participate in – such as new rental construction, home repair, housing allowances, rent supplements or home ownership – based on local housing needs in their communities. 2019-2020 was the last year of the IAH program.
• The Ontario Priorities Housing Initiative (OPHI) is a program under the CMHC-Ontario Bilateral Agreement. This 10-year agreement provides more than $5.75 billion to protect, renew and expand community housing; support Ontario's priorities related to housing repair, construction, and affordability; and deliver direct affordability support to Ontarians who need housing. OPHI provides flexible funding to address local housing priorities and improve access to affordable housing options. The initiative helps to increase the affordable housing supply and improve the state of repair of community housing stock.
• Beginning in 2023-24, the Province of Ontario is investing an additional $202 million annually in the Homelessness Prevention Program and the Indigenous Supportive Housing Program – bringing our total yearly investment to close to $700 million. This includes $16.7 million for the City of Windsor - an increase of 34 per cent compared to last year.

Related 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. 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.
• For more information on Government of Canada housing initiatives: Housing Canada
• Ontario's most recent housing supply action plan – Helping Homebuyers, Protecting Tenants – is the latest in a series of steps taken by the province to help more people find a home they can afford.
• Ontario is committed to addressing the housing crisis and has set an ambitious goal of building at least 1.5 million new homes by 2031 and is committing to advancing its housing supply action plan, every year for four years, to help address new challenges, meet unique needs, and adapt to the current environment and future outlook.
• For more information on affordable housing in Ontario, visit ontario.ca/affordablehousing or follow us on Twitter.

SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

Kevin Collins, Office of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, [email protected]; Media Relations Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, [email protected]; Victoria Podbielski, Minister's Office, [email protected]; Communications Branch, [email protected]