Governments Invest $3.6 Million to Support Home Ownership, Social Housing

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Projects Funded Through National Housing Strategy

The Canada and Manitoba governments are investing $3.6 million from the National Housing Strategy to help more Manitobans benefit from home ownership and affordable housing, Families Minister Heather Stefanson and Terry Duguid, member of Parliament for Winnipeg South, announced today. 

 

“Our government believes in the importance of home ownership for our communities, and this multi-million-dollar investment will give many low-income Manitoba families the pride of owning their own home,” said Stefanson. “We are pleased to also support affordable housing targeted for some of our most vulnerable people. These projects follow through on our government’s commitment to build strong partnerships with community-based organizations, empowering them to become housing leaders.” 

 

“It is with great pleasure that our government, through the National Housing Strategy, is supporting organizations like Habitat for Humanity Manitoba, as well as the Wahbung Abinoonjiiag Inc., with two very important projects, here in Winnipeg,” said Duguid, “It’s through strong partnerships with organizations such as these, where we are better able to lift vulnerable populations of all races, age, and gender, meet their dream of home ownership and find affordable places to call home.”

 

Habitat for Humanity Manitoba will receive $3 million to support its home-building program over three years. In that time, it expects to construct up to 60 new affordable homes with this funding and with additional support from other partners. 

 

“We are truly grateful for this vote of confidence in Habitat’s program, especially in this most difficult year,” said Sandy Hopkins, chief executive officer, Habitat for Humanity Manitoba. “Our partnership with the province spans more than a decade but has never been stronger.”

 

Habitat for Humanity Manitoba will identify and work with qualifying families to support their journey to affordable home ownership. Families are responsible for a minimum of 500 volunteer hours, also known as ‘sweat equity’, prior to purchasing their home, including 100 hours helping with the construction of their home. The homes are then sold at fair market value, without a down payment and with a no-interest mortgage. The mortgage payment is renewed annually and is based on the family’s gross income.

 

Another $635,000 from the National Housing Strategy will be used to demolish and transfer ownership of a vacant Manitoba Housing property on Watt Street in Winnipeg, valued at $516,000, to Wahbung Abinoonjiiag Inc. The organization plans to redevelop the land into new affordable housing for vulnerable families that are at risk of homelessness or that have experienced family violence.

 

“With financial support from the province and the National Housing Strategy, guidance and expertise of our community partners, and the wisdom of our elders and families with lived experience, Wahbung Abinoonjiiag is breaking ground on a transitional housing project that will ensure 24 families impacted by homelessness and family violence have a culturally safe and family-centred place to call home,” said Dana Riccio-Arabe, executive director, Wahbung Abinoonjiiag Inc. “This collaborative model and wrap-around approach brings community together to support community, building on the inherent strengths of our families and walking alongside them on their healing journey.”

 

The Government of Canada is currently rolling out its National Housing Strategy, an ambitious 10-year, more than $55-billion plan that will create 125,000 new housing units and lift 530,000 families out of housing need, as well as repair and renew more than 300,000 housing units and reduce chronic homelessness by 50 per cent. It is built on strong partnerships between federal, provincial and territorial governments and on continuous engagement with others, including municipalities, Indigenous governments and organizations, and with the social and private sectors to make a meaningful difference in the lives of Canadians. For more information, visit www.placetocallhome.ca.

 

Manitoba Housing owns and manages nearly 13,000 affordable and social housing units in the province and provides support to another 4,000 affordable housing units that are managed by other organizations. Stefanson noted the Manitoba government has supported the creation of 631 new social and affordable housing units since 2016. During the same period, the government has also supported home ownership for more than 180 households through partnerships with municipalities, non-profit organizations and the province’s Rural Home Ownership Program. For more information, visit www.gov.mb.ca/housing.

 

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