July 2, 2013
Families Return to Beliveau Road Housing Complex After $7-million Renewal
– – –Upgrades Transform Apartments into Modern, Comfortable Homes: Irvin-Ross
A complete revitalization inside and out of Manitoba Housing’s Beliveau Road apartments will provide an improved environment for families and bring new life to the community, Housing and Community Development Minister Kerri Irvin-Ross announced today while attending the official opening.
“These newly renovated housing units will give more families a safe, comfortable place to call home,” said Irvin-Ross. “But renovating Manitoba Housing units also helps build strong local communities and creates jobs, growing our economy.”
Beliveau Road apartments consist of 60 family units in three walk-up apartment buildings. The refresh of the apartments included developing open living and dining areas, as well as modernized kitchens.
The renovated complex also features six new visitablesuites that are complete with wheelchair accessible bathrooms, accessible kitchen counters and cabinets, and wider doorways. Total investment in the Beliveau Road renovation was $7.6 million.
Over the next three years, the Manitoba government will invest $100 million annually to restore and redevelop housing units in its portfolio, Irvin-Ross said. An additional $34 million will be dedicated annually to repair existing stock and provide quality home environments for tenants.
Manitoba will also build 500 more social housing units and 500 more affordable rental units over the next three years. This is in addition to the 1,500 social housing and 1,500 affordable housing units that are on schedule for 2014, the minister noted.
These investments, to build more affordable housing, are in addition to increased benefits for employment income assistance recipients and other low-income Manitobans announced in Budget 2013 through an annual increase of $6.3 million in RentAid shelter benefits.
Better housing is a part of the Manitoba Building and Renewal Plan, which will also help build the province’s critical infrastructure priorities including flood protection, roads, schools and health centres, Irvin-Ross said. Information about Manitoba’s three year plan is available at www.gov.mb.ca/housing/three_yr__plan.
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