Governments of Canada and Ontario Celebrate New Affordable Housing in Milton

MILTON, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Nov. 15, 2012) - The official opening of 80 new affordable rental housing units for seniors living on low income and people with disabilities was held today in Milton. The project received $4.8 million in funding from the federal and provincial governments. The construction of this project has created up to 100 jobs in Milton.

The Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Labour and Member of Parliament for Halton, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC); Mario Sergio, Parliamentary Assistant on behalf of the Honourable Bob Chiarelli, Ontario's Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and Gary Carr, Halton Regional Chair, made the announcement.

"Our Government is committed to giving a hand-up to people in need here in Milton," said Minister Raitt. "That's why we are proud to have invested in the construction of these new units, which will go a long way to providing safe, affordable homes for seniors and persons with disabilities for years to come."

"A safe home is a fundamental element of building healthy and prosperous communities across the province," said Parliamentary Assistant Mario Sergio. "Our government is working hard to ensure that every citizen of Ontario has an affordable and accessible place to live."

"Affordable housing for seniors is a priority in Halton's Citizens' Priorities Action Plan," said Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr. "Martin House Seniors Residence is a great example of what can be achieved when all levels of government work together to address challenges in our community."

"Halton Community Housing Corporation (HCHC) is pleased to provide another 80 affordable housing units to the community," said HCHC President Rick Craven. "Martin House Seniors Residence is located steps from Milton Seniors' Activity Centre and helps to fill an important need for local residents."

Martin House Seniors Residence, an 80-unit project located at 189 Ontario Street South in Milton, received $4.8 million in federal and provincial funding from Canada's Economic Action Plan and the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program for the construction of 40 units. The federal and provincial funding is complemented by more than $3.8 million in municipal financial incentives. The municipal incentives were used to construct an additional 40 units.

Conveniently located close to shopping, the Milton Seniors' Activity Centre and the Timberlea community trail, Martin House Seniors Residence offers modern units equipped with energy efficient climate control. The building also features amenity rooms on each floor and a private outdoor patio.

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 605,000 households living in existing social housing. In Ontario, this represents almost 238,00 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. Since 2003, Ontario's funding commitment of nearly $3 billion is the largest affordable housing programme in the province's history. Ontario is supporting the creation of over 17,000 affordable rental housing units; making more than 263,000 repairs and improvements to social and affordable housing units; and providing rental and down payment assistance to over 81,000 households in need. 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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