Posted: November 24, 2009 at 7:53 am | Tags: Affordable, Awards, canada, Centre, CMHC, country, Housing Market, information, Karen Kinsley, National, Program, project, showcase
Posted by Moishe Alexander
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) marked National Housing Day by launching a call for entries to the 2010 CMHC Housing Awards Program, which recognizes private sector-led best practices in affordable housing.
“National Housing Day is an opportunity to showcase solutions that address affordable housing needs in Canada,” said Karen Kinsley, President of CMHC. “Today’s call for entries to the 2010 CMHC Housing Awards is an invitation to the private sector to bring forward innovative initiatives to improve affordable housing so that these ideas may be shared with communities across Canada.”
The Housing Awards Program was created in 1988 to identify, recognize, showcase and share best practices that have helped to improve the quality, choice and affordability of housing in Canada. The program honours the people and organizations creating affordable housing solutions across the country. Applications must represent private sector-led initiatives that have demonstrated a range of affordable housing solutions to meet the needs of the communities they serve. The deadline for submissions is April 16, 2010.
This program is just one way CMHC advances affordable housing solutions across Canada. CMHC also has an Affordable Housing Centre, which has a team of housing experts dedicated to working with individuals and organisations from the private, non-profit and public sectors to help them develop their affordable housing projects. They offer project-specific expertise, help determine if a housing project is financially viable, identify resources and other potential partners, and share information on what has worked in other communities.
The Affordable Housing Centre website offers a comprehensive inventory of information, tools and resources, including a collection of more than 100 affordable housing project profiles highlighting successful approaches that have been implemented in communities across Canada.
As Canada’s national housing agency, CMHC draws on more than 60 years of experience to help Canadians access a variety of quality, environmentally sustainable, and affordable homes — homes that will continue to create vibrant and healthy communities and cities across the country.
Posted: November 24, 2009 at 7:44 am | Tags: 89 ½ Fairview Avenue, Affordable, canada, community, Diane Finley, government, Housing Market, Mayor Cliff Barwick, Ontario, Parliament, project, St. Thomas, St.Thomas, St. Thomas, Steve Peters
Posted by Moishe Alexander
The Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario, and the City of St.Thomas celebrated the start of construction of 12 affordable rental units in two housing developments. The developments are supported by over $924,000 in funding through the Canada – Ontario Affordable Housing Program.
Joe Preston, Member of Parliament for Elgin – Middlesex – London, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), and Steve Peters, Member of Provincial Parliament for Elgin – Middlesex – London on behalf of the Government of Ontario; along with Cliff Barwick, Mayor of St.Thomas, made the announcement.
“This is great news for families in St.Thomas,” said MP Preston. “These new apartments will provide suitable, affordable housing for deserving families, and create jobs in our community.”
“New housing initiatives add significant support to the provincial government’s efforts to reduce poverty,” said MPP Peters. “The Government of Ontario will continue to work with its federal and municipal partners to ensure new affordable housing units are built during the life of this program.”
Today’s announcement recognized two affordable housing projects funded through the two-year extension of the Canada – Ontario Affordable Housing Program:
- Funding of $480,000 for a six-unit affordable housing project for low-income households at 89 ½ Fairview Avenue.
- Funding of $444,000 for a six-unit affordable housing project for low-income households at 5 Park Avenue.
“The City of St. Thomas is very grateful to the federal and provincial governments for providing financial assistance under the Canada – Ontario Affordable Housing Program,” said Mayor Cliff Barwick. “This new apartment building will provide much-needed affordable housing for twelve families in the community.”
The Canada – Ontario Affordable Housing Program Agreement comprises a commitment of $301 million from each of the two senior levels of government. In total, the federal, provincial and municipal governments will invest at least $734 million in the program, which will provide affordable housing for up to 20,000 households in Ontario.
Posted: November 24, 2009 at 7:42 am | Tags: Affordable, canada, City, Cornwall, Corporation, Diane Finley, Funding, government, Housing Market, investment, James Kooistra, Jim Watson, Mayor Bob Kilger, Mayor Robert Gillard, Minister Responsible, MP Lauzon, Parliament, Patience, Williamsburg
Posted by Moishe Alexander
The Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario, and the community
of Williamsburg today celebrated the opening of 20 new affordable
rental units. This project is supported by more than $1.4 million in
funding through the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program.
Guy Lauzon, Member of Parliament for Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry,
on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources
and Skills Development Canada and Minister Responsible for Canada
Mortgage and Housing Corporation; Jim Brownell, Member of Provincial
Parliament for Stormont – Dundas – South Glengarry on behalf of the
Honourable Jim Watson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing; Mayor
Bob Kilger, City of Cornwall; Mayor Robert Gillard, Township of South
Dundas; and housing sponsors James Kooistra and Trevor Tolley attended
the ceremony.
“The Government of Canada is committed to making
affordable housing available in Ontario and across Canada for those who
need it the most,” said MP Lauzon. “These new rental units in
Williamsburg will provide access to suitable, affordable housing for
low-income seniors and individuals with special needs.”
“These
20 units will have a positive impact on the people who will call them
home and the community as a whole,” said MPP Brownell. “I would like to
congratulate the developers and community groups for making these
projects a reality.”
The 20-unit project, sponsored by
Williamsburg Non-Profit Housing, will be occupied by low-income seniors
and individuals with special needs.
The federal and provincial allocations to the project were complemented by over $153,000 in municipal incentives.
“I
am pleased that new federal and provincial funding for affordable
housing has made these 20 townhouses a reality,” said Mayor Robert
Gillard. “I thank the Service Manager and Williamsburg Non-Profit
Housing Corporation for all their work and dedication to help so many
individuals benefit from this new housing service. Patience and
persistence pays off.”
The Canada – Ontario Affordable Housing
Program Agreement, signed in 2005, comprises a commitment of $301
million from each of the two senior levels of government. In total,
the federal, provincial and municipal governments will invest at least
$734 million in the program, which will provide affordable housing for
up to 20,000 households in Ontario.
Last fall, the Government of
Canada committed more than $1.9 billion over the next five years to
improve and build new affordable housing and to help the homeless.
Canada’s Economic Action Plan builds on this with an additional
one-time investment of more than $2 billion over two years in new and
existing social housing and lending of up to another $2 billion to
municipalities for housing-related infrastructure. Combined for
Ontario, this means a further $1.2-billion joint investment under the
amended Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program Agreement. The
federal and provincial governments are contributing equally to this
overall investment.