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.