Governments of Canada and Ontario Celebrate New Affordable Housing in Georgina

GEORGINA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - June 25, 2012) - The official opening of DeafBlind Ontario Services' Treffry and Hurtick residences was held today in the Town of Georgina. Together, these projects received $720,000 in funding from the federal and provincial governments. The construction of the Treffry and Hurtick residences created up to 19 jobs in Ontario, helping meet the housing needs of people with disabilities in York Region.

The Honourable Peter Van Loan, Member of Parliament for York-Simcoe, 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 Kathleen Wynne, Ontario's Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, along with Bill Fisch, York Region Chairman and CEO, made the announcement.

"Through Economic Action Plan 2012, our Government is taking concrete action to help ensure economic recovery and create the conditions for long-term growth," said Minister Van Loan. "Funding projects like the Treffry and Hurtick residences will not only improve the overall housing conditions for people with disabilities in Georgina but also help stimulate the local economy and create jobs."

"Our government is committed to providing housing to those who need it most," said Minister Wynne. "About 7,000 Ontarians live with deafblindness and projects like these help them increase their independence."

"Investments and collaboration between multiple levels of government are critical to advancing affordable housing options," said York Region Chairman and CEO Bill Fisch. "This project is a great example of how specialized services and affordable housing together can enhance the quality of life for residents and strengthen our communities."

Treffry House, located at 1 Joel Avenue, received $480,000, and Hurtick House, located at 61 Alexander Boulevardd, received $240,000 in federal and provincial funding through Canada's Economic Action Plan - Housing for Persons with Disabilities and the 2009 Extension of the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program Agreement. The Regional Municipality of York complemented the federal and provincial funding by covering $24,000 in development charges for Hurtick House.

Both residences are fully accessible, four-bedroom residential units. They provide specialized services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to support individuals who are deafblind to live and thrive within the community. Treffry House is also equipped with a Snoezlen multi-sensory room which is designed to build communication, trust and relationships within a relaxing and stimulating environment.

The Government of Canada, through CMHC, will invest more than $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 Ontario, this represents some 237,750 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.

Ontario continues to build new affordable housing and repair existing units for Ontarians with housing needs. Since 2009, the provincial government has provided nearly $183 million to build new rental housing units for low-income seniors and persons with disabilities. Ontario's overall investment of over $2.5 billion has translated into the construction and repair of more than 270,000 housing units and the provision of 35,000 rent supplements for Ontario families on fixed incomes. The province's Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy sets a strong foundation for a more efficient, accessible affordable housing system in Ontario.

Affordable housing is a key component of Ontario's Poverty Reduction Strategy. Download a copy of the Government of Ontario's Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy. To find out more about affordable housing in Ontario, visit www.ontario.ca/housing.

To find out more about how the Government of Canada and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation are working to build stronger homes and communities for all Canadians, call CMHC at 1-800-668-2642 or visit www.cmhc.ca.

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