TEN NEW AFFORDABLE HOMES OPEN IN N'QUATQUA

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Government of British Columbia (CNW Group/Government of Canada)

N'QUATQUA RESERVE, BC, May 25, 2023 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, Taleeb Noormohamed, Member of Parliament for Vancouver Granville, Ravi Kahlon, BC Minister of Housing, and N'Quatqua First Nation announced a combined $2.35 million investment that will fund 10 new affordable homes for Elders, low-income singles and single parents, and families on reserve in N'Quatqua First Nation who want to live in their home community close to family, culture and tradition.

The project consists of two triplexes and one fourplex located at 14-16 Hunter Jack Cres., on N'Quatqua territories. The first triplex is accessible housing dedicated to Elders and is designed to be two-bedroom units. The second triplex is transitional housing and will be dedicated for low-income single adults, including single parents. All two-bedroom units accommodate N'Quatqua Elders and members living with disabilities who require an accessible layout. The fourplex units are dedicated for families. All four units are three-bedroom units, which can accommodate families with children and other relatives.

N'Quatqua Nation owns the homes and the N'Quatqua Social Housing Society is overseeing building operations. Construction is complete and residents have moved into their new homes.

Funding provided for this project is as follows:

• $1 million from the federal government, through the National Housing Co-Investment Fund (NHCF)
• $1.35 million from the provincial government, through Building BC: Indigenous Housing Fund and $400,000 in annual operating funding
• N'Quatqua Nation provided the land for the project and will own the homes

Quotes:

"No relationship is more important to Canada than the one with Indigenous Peoples. These new affordable homes on-reserve in N'Quatqua First Nation provides their new residents the opportunity to live in their communities, close to their families, and to be a part of their traditions and cultures. We are working with Indigenous partners across the country to ensure that Indigenous communities have access to housing that meets their needs. This is the National Housing Strategy in action."  – The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion

"Elders, families and members of N'Quatqua First Nation will have access to safe and affordable homes. By investing in affordable housing, we are working hard to improve the quality of life for those who need it most. The federal government is committed to ensure that all Canadians can find a home that meets their needs and budget."  – Taleeb Noormohamed, Member of Parliament for Vancouver Granville 

"With these new affordable homes, people of the N'Quatqua First Nation can live in their home territory, connected to family and culture. Communities strengthen when people can grow up there, raise a family, and age in place. We will continue to support Indigenous housing with an additional nearly $2-billion investment in Budget 2023 to build and operate 3,500 new homes on and off reserve. I am honoured to have partnered with the leadership of the N'Quatqua Nation in creating this housing for their members." – Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing

Quick facts:

• 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.
  
  
• Canada's National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year, $82-plus billion plan that will give more Canadians a place to call home.
• NHS is built on strong partnerships between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments, and continuous engagement with others, including municipalities, Indigenous governments and organizations, and the social and private housing sectors. This includes consultations with Canadians from all walks of life, and people with lived experience of housing need.
• All NHS investments delivered by the federal, provincial, and territorial governments will respect the key principles of NHS that support partnerships, people, and communities.

Additional Information:

• 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, please visit www.placetocallhome.ca.
• A map showing the location of all announced provincially-funded housing projects in B.C. is available online: https://www.bchousing.org/homes-for-BC.
• To learn about the steps the Province is taking to tackle the housing crisis and deliver affordable homes for British Columbians, visit: https://workingforyou.gov.bc.ca/.

SOURCE Government of Canada

Mahreen Dasoo, Office of the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, [email protected]; Media Relations, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, [email protected]