January 25, 2013
Governments of Canada and Manitoba Celebrate Affordable Housing for Families in Winnipeg
Winnipeg, Manitoba – The Government of Canada and the Province of Manitoba today celebrated the construction in progress of Living Gospel Church (LGC) Family Place located at 525/527 William Avenue. The seven-storey, 38-unit apartment building will enhance housing quality and accessibility for families in Winnipeg.
The Honourable Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety and Member of Parliament for Provencher, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and the Honourable Kerri Irvin-Ross, Minister of Housing and Community Development made the announcement.
“Through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, our Government remains committed to giving a hand-up to those who need it most,” said Minister Toews. “That’s why we’re investing in this new project in Winnipeg, which will provide safe and affordable housing that meets the needs of immigrant families looking to settle here.”
“Every family that comes to Manitoba should have opportunities to put down roots and build their lives here,” said Minister Irvin-Ross. “We know that one of the biggest challenges facing newcomers is finding safe and affordable housing. This development will help families meet that challenge as we continue to grow Manitoba’s economy with one of the most successful immigration strategies in Canada.”
“By partnering with the other levels of government to support projects such as this, we are continuing the tradition of working together to ensure new families who chose our great city to call home can begin their lives in the community without worrying where they will sleep at night,” said Sam Katz, Mayor of the City of Winnipeg.
LGC Family Place received an estimated $12.1 million in federal and provincial investment. In addition to the 38 units of new housing, the building will also include a multi-purpose space, private roof-top patio, storage lockers and shared laundry services. The main level will accommodate Living Gospel Church Holdings Inc. offices, as well as classrooms, and a large meeting/recreational space to serve the community and nearby non-profit support and service organizations such as Welcome Place and the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba.
“With the influx of new immigrants to Winnipeg, the need for more affordable housing is a necessity,” said Pastor Melkie Mebrat. “When the construction of LGC Family Placeis completed, it will enable us to carry on community work that will help more families, regardless of faith or beliefs, in a supportive community atmosphere. We thank the governments of Canada, Manitoba and the City of Winnipeg for their continued support. We would also like to thank our community supporters who are helping our fundraising efforts to accomplish this wonderful project.”
Funding for this project was made available through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, the federal government’s plan to stimulate the economy and create jobs during the global recession. The federal and provincial governments are contributing equally to this overall investment of $176 million under the amended Canada-Manitoba Affordable Housing Program Agreement.
The Government of Canada, through CMHC, will invest approximately $2 billion in housing this year. Of this amount, $1.7 billion will be spent in support of almost 605,000 households living in existing social housing. In Manitoba, this represents some 40,700 households. 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.
HOMEWorks! is Manitoba’s long-term housing strategy. Under this strategy, the province, through Manitoba Housing continues to make significant investments in social and affordable housing. The province has committed to the development of 1,500 affordable housing units across the province and is well underway towards the construction of over 1,000 of these homes. HOMEWorks! supports ALL Aboard, Manitoba’s poverty-reduction strategy, by increasing the supply of quality, affordable housing for low-income Manitobans. More information about HOMEWorks! is available at www.gov.mb.ca/housing.
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 or visit www.cmhc.gc.ca.
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