Governments of Canada and Quebec Invest in Affordable Housing on Iles-de-la-Madeleine

ÎLES-DE-LA MADELEINE, QUÉBEC--(Marketwired - May 17, 2013) - As a result of the combined efforts of the governments of Canada and Quebec and their local partners, families and individuals on Îles-de-la-Madeleine now have access to 12 affordable housing units.

L'Habitation Arc-en-ciel, which required an investment of more than $1.9 million, was inaugurated today by the Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Industry and Minister of State (Agriculture) and Member of Parliament for Mégantic-L'Érable, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). The ceremony took place in the presence of Jeannine Richard, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and Member of the National Assembly (MNA) for Îles-de-la-Madeleine, on behalf of Sylvain Gaudreault, Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy, Minister of Transport and Minister responsible for the Société d'habitation du Québec (SHQ); Joël Arseneau, Mayor of Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine; and local partners.

The Government of Canada, through the Agreement for Investment in Affordable Housing 2011-2014, and the Government of Quebec, under the AccèsLogis Québec program of the SHQ, jointly invested over $986,000 in this project. In addition, the SHQ has secured the mortgage loan taken out by the organization to complete the financing of l'Habitation Arc-en-ciel. The community contributed a total of $489,000, including over $269,000 from the Municipality of Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine.

"Our government is investing in affordable housing in Quebec to help create jobs and improve the quality of life for individuals and families who need it most. This funding will help people on Îles-de-la-Madeleine access safe and affordable housing that meets their needs. Our government remains focused on four priorities, as outlined by the Prime Minister, that Canadians care most about: their families, the safety of our streets and communities, their pride in being citizens of this country and, of course, their personal financial security," said Minister Paradis.

"Government investments combined with the exceptional work of local stakeholders allowed l'Habitation Arc-en-ciel project to become a reality. Thanks to this valuable collaboration, 12 households in the Îles-de-la-Madeleine area now have access to a new, safe and affordable place to live. This project definitely demonstrates the strength of this tight-knit community who came together to achieve a common goal-that of improving the quality of life of its members," said MNA Richard.

L'Habitation Arc-en-ciel is located near a school and all amenities. It should also be mentioned that two of the 12 units were adapted for persons with disabilities.

Nearly $207,000 in additional financial assistance over five years, assumed by the SHQ (90 per cent) and the Municipality of Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine (10 per cent), enables all the occupants of l'Habitation Arc-en-ciel to benefit from the Rent Supplement program, ensuring that they will pay only 25 per cent of their income on housing and thereby helping to increase their buying power for other necessities.

The project also received a grant of over $31,000 from the Bureau de l'efficacité et de l'innovation énergétiques of the Ministère des Ressources naturelles to help it obtain the Novoclimat certification. This requirement ensures that tenants have comfortable units and, especially, lower energy bills, which can make a substantial difference at the end of the month for a number of households.

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

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 594,000 households living in social housing. In Quebec, this represents some 127,150 households. These investments are improving the quality of life for low-income Canadians and households living in social housing, including individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, seniors, persons with disabilities, recent immigrants and Aboriginal people.

To find out more about how CMHC is working to build stronger homes and communities for all Canadians, call CMHC at 1-800-668-2642 or visit www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca.

Société d'habitation du Québec

The SHQ's mission is to facilitate citizens' access to appropriate housing conditions. Housing constitutes a structured response to numerous challenges and needs of Quebec society. Whether by helping to preserve the health of families and seniors, by addressing poverty, social exclusion and homelessness or by revitalizing neighbourhoods and regions, the SHQ contributes to improving the quality of life of 230,000 households each year. The SHQ also supports job creation and the economic development of all regions of Quebec. That's why the Government of Quebec announced, in its latest budget, total funding of $231 million for the construction of 3,000 affordable housing units over the coming years.

For more information on the programs and services offered by the SHQ, visit www.habitation.gouv.qc.ca/english.html. You may also visit Espace Habitat, a new Web magazine (in French only) that features, among other things, the benefits of the SHQ's initiatives on all of Quebec society.