Help on the way for Calgary homeless

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

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

CALGARY, Aug. 8, 2019 /CNW/ - The governments of Canada and Alberta are helping homeless people in Calgary to get back on their feet with the opening of the Clayton.

The Honourable Kent Hehr, Member of Parliament for Calgary Centre, 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), and the Honourable Josephine Pon, Minister of Alberta Seniors and Housing made the announcement today.

About 30 single adults will begin moving into the Clayton—safe, affordable housing in the west Calgary neighborhood of Bowness this summer. Designed to meet the needs of individuals who have experienced long-term or frequent episodes of homelessness, the Clayton will provide 24-hour support services. Residents will have access to trauma-recovery and culturally appropriate support programs. 

Quotes:

"With this grand opening, The Clayton will now provide affordable housing options, as well as supportive services for 30 individuals. Our Government is dedicated to helping those in need, which is why we are proud to have invested in this project. The Clayton is more than just a safe and affordable place to spend the night, it is a key to a better life for the vulnerable individuals who come here when they have nowhere else to go." – The Honourable Kent Hehr, Member of Parliament for Calgary Centre

"Providing a safe, supportive place to call home is vital in helping people rebuild their lives after living in homelessness. Our government is proud to contribute to this affordable housing project and are committed to working with other levels of government, community organizations and private sector partners to help break the cycle of chronic homelessness." – The Honourable Josephine Pon, Minister of Alberta Seniors 

"This collaboration between government, the Calgary Homeless Foundation, HomeSpace Society, Jayman BUILT, the RESOLVE Campaign and Calgary Alpha House Society, is a demonstration that homelessness can end when we intentionally choose to work together. This building will provide a stable place of belonging from which the 30 future tenants will build a better future." – Diana Krecsy, president and CEO, Calgary Homeless Foundation

"Jayman BUILT has been building homes in Calgary communities for 39 years. We appreciate the importance of having a place to call home and are fiercely committed to ending homelessness in our city. The RESOLVE Campaign inspired collaboration between 11 builders, and together we contributed a combined gift of $15.4 million. By its sunset, the campaign raised over $74 million, enough to provide 1,850 Calgarians with the key to a home and the support they need to thrive. The entire Jayman team has shown its commitment to this cause through the construction of the Clayton, providing 30 new units for Calgarians who have experienced homelessness." – Jay Westman, chairman and CEO, Jayman BUILT

"HomeSpace is proud to partner with Jayman BUILT through the RESOLVE Campaign and Calgary Homeless Foundation on our seventh new permanent supportive housing development. Through this collaboration, we are able to offer more affordable housing units with supports to the Calgary community. Our residents will have the opportunity to rebuild their lives with the dignity of a new home." – Bernadette Majdell, CEO, HomeSpace Society

"We are excited to be providing on-site supports for another permanent supportive housing program with Calgary Homeless Foundation and HomeSpace. We believe everyone deserves to have a safe, stable home and that a home is a place where people can work on other aspects of their lives to create a healthier future. We look forward to becoming a part of the vibrant community of Bowness." – Kathy Christiansen, Executive Director, Calgary Alpha House Society

Quick facts:

• The governments of Canada and Alberta jointly contributed approximately $4 million toward the Clayton under the Investment in Affordable Housing Agreement.
• Additional funding of $1.7 million was secured through the RESOLVE Campaign.
• Total budget for the Clayton was $5.8 million.
• The Government of Canada is currently rolling out its National Housing Strategy (NHS), an ambitious 10-year, $55 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.
• Under the Investing in Canada plan, the Government of Canada is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada's rural and northern communities.
• In 2017, the Government of Alberta launched its first Provincial Affordable Housing Strategy, including a $1.2-billion commitment to build affordable housing across the province.

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. 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, visit www.placetocallhome.ca.

The Government of Alberta ministry of Seniors and Housing fosters the development of affordable housing and supports access to housing options for Albertans most in need. The ministry works with seniors, Albertans who require housing supports, their families and caregivers, communities and other government partners. A more detailed description of the ministry and its programs and initiatives can be found at seniors-housing.gov.ab.ca

Learn more about the Provincial Affordable Housing Strategy.

SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

Valérie Glazer, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, 613-220-1841, [email protected]; Leonard Catling, CMHC Media Relations, 604-787-1787, [email protected]; Natalie Tomczak, 587-596-8187, Press Secretary, Seniors and Housing

Related Links

www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca