Construction Begins on Affordable Housing Project in St. Catharines

Posted by: Toronto Real Estate Admin / Category: News Bulletin

ST. CATHARINES, June 4, 2009 – The Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario, Niagara Region, the City of St. Catharines, and Niagara Regional Housing today celebrated the start of construction of a new apartment complex that will provide nine units of affordable housing in St. Catharines. The project received $630,000 in funding through the Canada – Ontario Affordable Housing Program.

Rick Dykstra, Member of Parliament for St. Catharines, 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 Bradley, MPP for St. Catharines, on behalf of the Honourable Jim Watson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing; Niagara Regional Chair Peter Partington, and St. Catharines Mayor Brian McMullan made the announcement today.

“The Government of Canada is delivering on its commitment to help those at risk of becoming homeless,” said MP Rick Dykstra. “We are proud to support community efforts that help find local solutions to local problems. Through this investment, the Gateway Residential and Community Support Services and Mainstream Services, will provide safe and supportive housing to people with special needs, and help them turn a new page in their lives.”

“The McGuinty government is committed to working together with our partners to create housing for those who need it most,” said MPP Bradley. “I am very pleased that we are able to support Niagara Region and the City of St. Catharines in creating new supportive housing that will help the most vulnerable in our community to live in quality housing.”

The project, sponsored by Gateway Residential and Community Support Services of Niagara and Mainstream: An Unsheltered Workshop, will provide nine units of supportive housing for vulnerable persons in St. Catharines. Today’s federal and provincial allocation will be complemented by $125,850 in municipal financial incentives.

“This new 9-unit supportive housing development in downtown St. Catharines is another great example of partnership in action,” said Regional Chair Partington. “Increasing access to supportive housing will assist some of Niagara’s most vulnerable citizens. I am proud that Niagara Region is able to continue its legacy of Building Communities, Building Lives.”

“This project represents what can be achieved by government and community-based agencies when we work together,” said Mayor Brian McMullan. “As a result of this collaborative effort, some of our community’s most vulnerable citizens will have a safe and affordable home with the specialized supports they require — something they would not have had otherwise.”

“Gateway Mainstream are proud to be entering into a partnership that will create nine new units of affordable supportive housing in downtown St. Catharines,” said Gateway Executive Director John Osczypko.

The Canada – Ontario Affordable Housing Program 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 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.

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For more information visit:  http://www.mah.gov.on.ca

Article source: http://www.cmhc.ca/en/corp/nero/nere/2009/2009-06-04-1000.cfm

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