Governments of Canada and Ontario Celebrate New Affordable Housing in Ottawa

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - June 19, 2013) - The official opening of the first phase of 45 new affordable rental housing units at the Perley and Rideau Veterans' Centre Seniors Village was held today in Ottawa. The project received $5.4 million in funding from the federal and provincial governments under the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program Agreement to create more housing for veterans and seniors living on low income.

The Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors) and Member of Parliament for Richmond, 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 Premier Kathleen Wynne, along with Jim Watson, Mayor of Ottawa, made the announcement.

"Our Government is investing in affordable housing here in Ottawa, to help create jobs and improve the quality of life of our seniors," said Minister Wong. "This initiative will help seniors living on low-income in our community access safe and affordable housing that meets their needs. We remain 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 a citizen of this country, and of course, their personal financial security."

"People deserve a safe, affordable place to live at every age," said Premier Wynne. "Making sure our seniors are cared for in communities across Ontario is part of our commitment to building a fair and prosperous society, where everyone is treated with compassion and respect."

"It's crucial that all levels of government work closely together to bridge gaps in affordable housing," said Mayor Jim Watson. "We're so grateful for the important role the Perley and Rideau Veterans' Centre Seniors Village plays for our community."

The City of Ottawa is committed to older adults. In October 2012, Ottawa City Council approved the Older Adult Plan as a coordinated approach to addressing the specific needs of Ottawa's older residents, while introducing a long-term vision of a community that values, empowers and supports older persons and their quality of life.

The 45 units are part of Perley and Rideau Veterans' Centre Seniors Village located at 1750 Russell Road. The federal and provincial funding is complemented by more than $1 million in municipal financial incentives and by a $32 million mortgage through Infrastructure Ontario.

The Perley and Rideau Veterans' Health Centre provides quality care for seniors, serving veterans and an increasing number of other seniors from the community. One of the largest not-for-profit long-term care centres in Ontario, the centre has expanded its programs and services to create the Perley Rideau Seniors Village, which includes two buildings with 139 specially designed apartments, assisted living services for those in need at home or in the new apartments, respite care to help caregivers of family members with dementia, convalescent care, and various on-site health oriented services.

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 close to 594,000 households living in existing social housing. In Ontario, this represents an estimated 237,950 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 more than $191 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 program 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 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. 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-schl.gc.ca.

Disponible en français