Archive for August, 2009

Province of New Brunswick and Government of Canada Officially Open New Affordable Housing Units in Hampton

Comments: 0August 17th, 2009 by admin

Posted by Moishe Alexander

HAMPTON, N.B., August 17, 2009 — Thirty-two new apartments for low-income seniors were officially opened today by the provincial and federal governments. The new Hampton-based units are funded under Phase III of the Canada – New Brunswick Affordable Housing Agreement.

New Brunswick Social Development Minister Kelly Lamrock, who is also Minister Responsible for Housing, and Fundy Royal Member of Parliament Rob Moore, who is also Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice, made the announcement at Ossekeag Place of Hampton United Church today.

“We are pleased to work in cooperation with our partners to provide high-quality, affordable homes for low-income seniors in the Hampton area,” said Minister Lamrock. “Affordable housing is part of this government’s efforts to help our seniors be active and healthy members of local communities.”

The $3.5-million project at 25 Robb Ct. was completed in August 2009.

The housing units were developed by Ossekeag Place of Hampton United Church Inc, a non-profit corporation. The project received $480,000 in funding under the Federal Affordable Housing Trust to offset construction costs, as well as close to $700,000 in rent supplements from the Province of New Brunswick for 16 of the 32 units.

In addition, the project received SEED funding through CMHC to assist during the initial planning stages.

“The Government of Canada is committed to making affordable housing available in New Brunswick and across Canada for those who need it most,” said Mr. Moore. “This project will help seniors access safe and suitable housing, and build a stronger future for themselves.”

MP Moore spoke on behalf of Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).

Funding is available to private non-profit organizations, co-operatives, and community or private developers interested in developing projects for low- to moderate-income families, seniors, non-elderly singles, disabled persons and persons with special needs.

Ossekeag Place of Hampton United Church was also built to high energy-efficiency standards, and involved consultation with Efficiency NB. Builders of affordable housing projects for low-income individuals may receive an incentive of $2,000 per apartment unit if the building is heated by low greenhouse gas emission technologies as approved by Efficiency NB.

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Posted in CMHC, Housing Market

Construction to Begin on New Affordable Housing in Timiskaming

Comments: 0August 17th, 2009 by admin

Posted by Moishe Alexander

COBALT, ON, August 14, 2009 — The Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario and the Town of Cobalt today announced $1.5 million to fund a construction-ready project.

The funding was made available as a result of a $1.2 billion joint investment under the amended Canada – Ontario Affordable Housing Program Agreement, which includes funding through Canada’s Economic Action Plan and by the Government of Ontario. The federal and provincial governments are contributing equally to this overall investment.

Today’s announcement recognized the successful application by Co-Tem Pro Native Non-Profit Housing Inc to build 15 units of affordable housing for low-income families.

The Honourable Gordon O’Connor, Minister of State, Chief Government Whip and Member of Parliament for Carleton – Mississippi, 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 David Ramsay, Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier and Member of Provincial Parliament for Timiskaming – Cochrane on behalf of the Honourable Jim Watson, Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing; along with Norman Menard, Chair of the District of Timiskaming Social Services Administration Board, made the announcement today at the housing site.

“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Harper, our Government is working hard to support Canadians during these challenging economic times and we are moving aggressively to ensure Canada’s Economic Action Plan is implemented rapidly,” said Minister O’Connor. “With these investments in Ontario, we are stimulating our economy and making an important difference in the lives of some of our community’s most vulnerable citizens. Low-income families, seniors, and persons with disabilities will soon have better access to suitable, affordable housing.”

“New housing initiatives add significant support to the McGuinty government’s Poverty Reduction Strategy,” said MPP Ramsay. “This first wave of funding will lead to construction by September and we will continue to work with our municipal partners to ensure more units are built during the life of this program.”

“We have a considerable demand for Social Housing, especially in the south end of our District and this project will assist us in fulfilling some of this demand,” said Chair Menard. “Programs such as the Canada – Ontario Affordable Housing Program Agreement are essential for our district if we are going to have the means to increase our affordable housing units.”

Ontario is moving quickly to implement this new funding, which increases the number of quick start projects to 39 totalling more than $76.5 million and which will improve access to affordable housing for low-income families, seniors and persons with disabilities. It will also create jobs and strengthen local economies. To find out more about affordable housing in Ontario, visit www.mah.gov.on.ca.

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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Posted in Uncategorized

Social Housing in Peel Region Being Renovated

Comments: 0August 10th, 2009 by admin

Moishe Alexander is very excited to see that the Social Housing project, Tannery Gate Tower Cooperative in Peel Region Being Renovated.

MISSISSAUGA, August 10, 2009 — The Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario today announced that the Tannery Gate Tower Cooperative in Mississauga will receive support for repairs and renovations over the next two years.

The work will include lighting upgrades, boiler replacement, roof replacement, elevator replacement, garage ramp heating and other capital repairs.

The Tannery Gate Tower Cooperative will receive $227,540 — part of a national allocation of more than $30.1 million to Peel Region to repair and retrofit existing local social housing units.

The funding was made available as a result of a $1.2 billion joint investment under the amended Canada – Ontario Affordable Housing Program Agreement, which includes funding through Canada’s Economic Action Plan and by the Government of Ontario. The federal and provincial governments are contributing equally to this overall investment.

Bob Dechert, Member of Parliament for Mississauga – Erindale, 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 Bob Delaney, MPP for Mississauga – Streetsville, on behalf of the Honourable Jim Watson, Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, made the announcement today.

“Renovation and retrofit projects, like this one, will improve the quality of life for residents by keeping their homes safe and affordable,” said MP Dechert. “It is also a good way to get the local economy moving because it puts construction workers and trades people to work quickly and most of the materials and supplies are made in Canada.”

“These repairs are another step towards improving social housing in Peel Region,” said MPP Delaney. “This new funding will help ensure that people living in social housing have a safe and reliable place to live. Ontarians deserve nothing less.”

Ontario is moving quickly to invest a total of $704 million to repair eligible social housing across the province. In an effort to get shovels in the ground quickly, projects must be committed by the end of the fiscal years 2010 and 2011.

The funding will help improve the quality of life for residents living in social housing communities. Funding will be used to renovate and make energy-saving upgrades to existing social housing as well as to undertake accessibility modifications for the benefit of seniors and persons with disabilities. It will also create jobs and strengthen local economies. To find out more about affordable housing in Ontario, visit

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Posted in boiler replacement, elevator replacement, garage ramp heating, lighting upgrades, roof replacement