Governments of Canada and Ontario Celebrate New Affordable Housing in Toronto
Posted by: Toronto Real Estate Admin / Category: News Bulletin
TORONTO, ON, November 29, 2013 — The official opening of 210 new affordable housing units for low-income seniors and people with disabilities was held today in Toronto. The project received $25.2 million in funding from the federal and provincial governments. The construction of this project created up to 525 jobs in the Toronto area.
John Carmichael, Member of Parliament for Don Valley West, on behalf of the Honourable Candice Bergen, Minister of State (Social Development); Soo Wong, Member of Provincial Parliament for Scarborough – Agincourt, on behalf of the Honourable Linda Jeffrey, Ontario’s Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing; and Norm Kelly, Deputy Mayor and Councillor for Ward 40 – Scarborough – Agincourt made the announcement today.
“Our government remains committed to helping those who need it most. That’s why we invested in this project in Toronto, which will provide safe and affordable housing that meets the needs of seniors and persons with disabilities,” said MP Carmichael. “We remain focused on four priorities, as outlined by the Prime Minister, that Canadians care most about: their families, the safety of our streets and communities, their pride in being a citizen of this country, and of course, their personal financial security.”
“The Ontario government is committed to creating a fair and prosperous society where everyone has the opportunity to connect, contribute and enjoy a high quality of life,” said MPP Wong. “Projects like Chichester Place provide residents with a beautiful, safe and secure home while at the same time creating jobs.”
“On behalf of City Council, I want to congratulate The Remington Group Inc. for developing these beautiful new affordable homes in my community for seniors and persons who are hearing impaired,” said Deputy Mayor Kelly. “This is a great example of the value of partnerships between government and the private sector.”
Located in Toronto, 8 Chichester Place is a 210 unit complex comprised of 104 one-bedroom and 85 two-bedroom apartments for low-income seniors; with 10 one-bedroom and 11 two-bedroom apartments for people with hearing disabilities. Twenty-one units have been outfitted with strobe lights to help signal fire alarms and incoming phone calls for the hearing impaired; these tenants were selected through the Bob Rumball Centre for the Deaf. The project, built by The Remington Group, received $25.2 million in funding through the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program. The joint federal and provincial funding is complemented by $3 million in financial assistance from the City of Toronto.
“The Remington Group is proud to have been part of the team that created this wonderful building, with its special features for hearing impaired tenants,” said Rudy Bratty, Chair and CEO, The Remington Group Inc. “Working with the federal, provincial and municipal governments and the Bob Rumball Centre, we have been able to give something back to the community.”
Annually, the Government of Canada, through Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), will invest approximately $2 billion in housing. Of this amount, $1.7 billion will be spent in support of close to 594,000 households living in existing social housing. In Ontario, this represents an estimated 237,950 households. The remaining funding supports housing-related activities and affordable housing programs, including the Investment in Affordable Housing (IAH). These investments are improving the quality of life for low-income Canadians and households living in existing social housing, including individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, seniors, persons with disabilities, recent immigrants and Aboriginal people. Economic Action Plan 2013 continues this commitment with a federal investment of more than $1.25 billion over five years to renew the Investment in Affordable Housing to 2019. The Government of Canada will ensure that funds provided to provinces and territories support the use of apprentices, which will support training of skilled labour. More than 146,769 households across Canada are no longer in housing need as a result of funding provided under the IAH from April 1, 2011 to June 30, 2013.
Ontario continues to build new affordable housing and repair existing units for Ontarians with housing needs. Since 2003, Ontario’s funding commitment of nearly $3 billion is the largest affordable housing program in the province’s history. Ontario is supporting the creation of over 17,000 affordable rental housing units; making more than 263,000 repairs and improvements to social and affordable housing units; and providing rental and downpayment assistance to over 81,000 households in need. The province’s Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy sets a strong foundation for a more efficient, accessible affordable housing system in Ontario.
Affordable housing is a key component of Ontario’s Poverty Reduction Strategy. To find out more about affordable housing in Ontario, visit www.ontario.ca/housing. For more information about affordable housing in Toronto, visit www.toronto.ca/affordablehousing.
To find out more about how the Government of Canada and CMHC are working to build stronger homes and communities for all Canadians, call CMHC at 1-800-668-2642
Media inquiries:
Andrew McGrath
A/Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of State
(Social Development)
819-953-2350
andrew.mcgrath@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
Dean D’Souza
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
416-250-2760
ddsouza@cmhc-schl.gc.ca
Mike Maka
Office of Minister Jeffrey
416-585-6842
Mike.maka@ontario.ca
Gil Hardy
City of Toronto
416-397-4701
ghardy@toronto.ca
Article source: http://www.cmhc.ca/en/corp/nero/nere/2013/2013-11-29-1030.cfm
Tags: Toronto House, Toronto Housing, Toronto Realtor