October 5, 2010
Province Announces $11 Million Commitment to Northern Manitoba Housing Stock
– – –Renovations, Repairs to Revitalize the North: Irvin-Ross
WABOWDEN—The province is committing $11 million for the renovation of older Manitoba Housing units in rural and northern Manitoba, and to work with northern businesses and employ northern residents, Housing and Community Development Minister Kerri Irvin-Ross announced here today.
“This project is more than just an investment in our northern housing stock, it’s an investment in the whole northern region. This is a record investment by Manitoba Housing and Community Development in renovations in the north,” said Irvin-Ross. “We’ll be hiring local people, using local suppliers where possible and multiplying our investment in the local economy.”
Inspections of the northern housing units have been conducted and planning for the renovation of up to 538 units in as many as 28 northern communities is already underway, the minister said. Work may include new windows, floor coverings and other upgrades will occur in communities like Wabowden, Cross Lake and Moose Lake.
“We will work closely with the community leadership to ensure that local residents have a chance to do some of the work,” Irvin-Ross said. “We have a successful history of hiring and training tenants to do renovation work in their own buildings.”
Approved projects will start this year and are expected to be completed by the end of 2012.
Aboriginal and Northern Affairs Minister Eric Robinson also congratulated Wabowden on the official opening of the community’s new administration building. The 2,400-square-foot building was built with financial support of $648,000 from the province.
“This successful project is another example of working in partnership to improve infrastructure in northern Manitoba and provide new services and opportunities for economic development in northern Manitoba,” Robinson said. “The new administration building is more than twice as large as the former building and reflects the progress occurring at Wabowden.”
These investments in the north demonstrate the province’s ongoing support for communities in the region, Irvin-Ross said.
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