Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan Celebrate New Affordable Housing in Air Ronge

AIR RONGE, SASKATCHEWAN--(Marketwire - Oct. 5, 2011) - Rob Clarke, Member of Parliament for Desnethé – Missinippi – Churchill River, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), along with the Honourable June Draude, Minister of Social Services and Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Housing Corporation, today announced support for a local housing initiative for seniors.

Funding in the amount of $1.7 million has been made available for the initiative through Canada's Economic Action Plan, the federal government's plan to stimulate the economy and create jobs during the global recession. The federal and provincial governments are contributing equally to this overall investment of $132 million under the amended Canada–Saskatchewan Affordable Housing Program Agreement.

"Through Canada's Economic Action Plan, our government is providing a hand-up to those who need it most here in Air Ronge and in all corners of the country," said MP Clarke. "We are committed to making communities stronger through projects like this one. These investments help create new jobs and stimulate the local economy, while providing more access to safe, affordable homes for Canadian seniors."

"We are very pleased to work with the Government of Canada and the Northern Village of Air Ronge to provide more housing options for Saskatchewan seniors," said Minister Draude. "Our government continues to work with other levels of government, the private sector and not-for-profit sectors to create housing opportunities for all Saskatchewan people. These new homes will make a real and lasting difference for seniors and help increase housing supply, which are two goals of our government's recently announced Housing Strategy for Saskatchewan and action plan."

The provincial and federal governments are contributing $1.7 million to the project, which consists of 12 two-bedroom units. The suites will be built on a single level accessed through a common hallway. Additional common area space will include a sitting room, kitchen and laundry.

Canada's Economic Action Plan built on the Government of Canada's commitment in 2008 of more than $1.9 billion, over five years, to improve and build new affordable housing and help the homeless. It provided $400 million, over two years, to build new rental housing for low-income seniors. Overall, the Economic Action Plan included $2 billion for the construction of new and the renovation of existing social housing, plus $2 billion in low-cost loans to municipalities for housing-related infrastructure.

The amendment to the Canada–Saskatchewan Affordable Housing Program Agreement, which included funding under Canada's Economic Action Plan, signed in May 2009, brought federal housing support of $74 million to the province. The Government of Saskatchewan is matching that commitment for a total of $148 million to assist those in housing need and, in collaboration with other levels of government and community partners, to make various types of affordable housing programs possible. In Saskatchewan, federal-provincial housing programs are delivered through the Saskatchewan Housing Corporation.

A new agreement signed recently by both orders of government implements Saskatchewan's allocation of the remaining three years of the $1.9 billion, which amounts to some $28 million in additional federal funding for Saskatchewan people in housing need. The province will contribute another $28 million in matching funds for a combined investment of more than $55 million to support housing programs and services that help Saskatchewan residents access safe, affordable housing.

More information on this and other measures in Canada's Economic Action Plan, the federal government's plan to stimulate the economy and protect those hit hardest by the global recession, can be found at www.actionplan.gc.ca. To find out more about how the Government of Canada and CMHC are working to build stronger homes and communities for all Canadians, call CMHC at 1-800-668-2642 or visit www.cmhc.ca/housingactionplan.