Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the need for affordable housing and led to rising levels of homelessness. The Government of Canada created a national strategy to build hundreds of thousands of units and provide affordable housing to people across the country. By continuing to make investments in affordable housing, the government is building stronger communities, creating jobs, and growing our middle class, while fighting homelessness and helping vulnerable Canadians.
Adam Vaughan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Kate Young, Member of Parliament for London West, Peter Fragiskatos, Member of Parliament for London North Centre, and Ed Holder, Mayor of the City of London, today announced $10.8 million to create an estimated 49 new affordable homes for individuals and families in London through the Cities Stream under expanded Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI). These housing units will support Canadians who are in uncertain housing situations, experiencing or at risk of homelessness, or living in temporary shelters because of the pandemic.
This is in addition to the Government of Canada's previous investment of $7.5 million through the first phase of the Rapid Housing Initiative to support the creation of 61 housing units in the City of London.
In its initial round, with funding of $1 billion announced in October 2020, the RHI exceeded its original target of 3,000 permanent affordable housing units and achieved 4,700 units nationally. Due to this success, an additional $1.5 billion for the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) was recently announced to create 4,500 new units of permanent affordable housing across the country. Thanks to this expansion, this initiative will now create over 9,200 affordable homes for the most vulnerable Canadians across the country.
This new investment will create thousands of good jobs in the housing and construction sector, grow the middle class, and build back stronger communities, while getting us closer to our goal of eliminating chronic homelessness in Canada.
The federal government also announced an investment of $11.6 million to build a 65-unit apartment complex at 191 Commissioners Road W. This project, proposed by P.A.M. Gardens Non-profit Housing, will provide a mix of affordable and market rent units, including 33 allocated to vulnerable individuals and those on London's housing waitlist.
The funding for 191 Commissioners Road W. is being delivered through CMHC's National Housing Co-Investment Fund (NHCF), which supports new and revitalization construction of mixed-income, mixed-tenure, and mixed-use affordable housing. The NHCF is a key pillar of the Government of Canada's National Housing Strategy (NHS).
Quotes:
"Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. Today's funding through the Rapid Housing Initiative and the National Housing Co-Investment Fund will go a long way to support those who need it most by providing approximately 115 new homes for vulnerable individuals and families in London to keep them safe. This is one of the ways our National Housing Strategy continues to ensure no one is left behind." – The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
"This investment is an important step towards ensuring that fellow citizens have access to housing and crucial supports. Housing is about dignity. As a result of today's announcement, we are acting to meet the unique housing needs of our city so that residents of London can be safe and can continue to thrive."– Peter Fragiskatos, Member of Parliament for London North Centre
"Our Government is taking steps, right now, to ensure that every Canadian has a safe and affordable place to call home, and that includes rapidly building new affordable homes right here in London. Investments by this government will go a long way to effectively support those who are in the most housing need, by quickly providing new permanent affordable housing units to vulnerable individuals and families. This is the National Housing Strategy at work." – Adam Vaughan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development
"We have seen how COVID-19 has worsened existing housing and homelessness challenges and without urgent action by the Government of Canada, the pandemic could lead to a dramatic increase in homelessness. Creating housing rapidly right here in London to address this housing crisis is a priority for our Government. The funding we announced today is part of our commitment to addressing severe housing needs across the country. It will provide immediate support to create safe and stable housing for vulnerable individuals and families." – Kate Young, Member of Parliament for London West
"We've made it our goal in London to achieve functional zero for chronic homelessness within five years, and these types of strategic investments are what's going to help us get there. Solving this crisis speaks to who we are as a community, and who we are as Londoners. We have everyone pulling in the same direction on this issue, and I am grateful to our partners at the Federal Government and CMHC for their ongoing support." – Ed Holder, Mayor of London
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