Groundbreaking for New Affordable Housing in Buffalo Narrows

BUFFALO NARROWS, SASKATCHEWAN--(Marketwired - Sept. 10, 2014) - The Government of Canada and the Province of Saskatchewan, along with Northern Village of Buffalo Narrows, today participated in a groundbreaking ceremony for a single-storey four-plex in Buffalo Narrows, SK. Targeted client groups will be single seasonal workers, individuals working full-time year-round in the area and possibly pensioned seniors.

Rob Clarke, Member of Parliament for Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River, on behalf of the Honourable Candice Bergen, Minister of State (Social Development), along with the Honourable Donna Harpauer, Minister of Social Services and Minister responsible for Saskatchewan Housing Corporation, made the announcement.

"Our Government is investing in affordable housing here in Buffalo Narrows and across Canada to help create jobs and improve the quality of life for those who need it most," said MP Clarke. "Thanks to the combined efforts of our partners, we are able to give a helping hand to individuals in need, and in doing so, we are contributing to the economic and social well-being of the entire community."

"We are proud to work with partners on providing housing support to individuals and families in greatest housing need," said Minister Harpauer. "Through the Saskatchewan Plan for Growth, our Government will continue to make strategic investments to align with the province's housing priorities and needs. Today's announcement is another example of this commitment in action."

"The Mayor and Council of the Northern Village of Buffalo Narrows are pleased to partner with the federal and provincial governments to build the new four-plex singles housing units in the village," said Mayor Estelle Laliberte. "We know that won't take care of all the singles' housing problems, but it's a start. We appreciate the opportunity given to us, to provide at least four units and hopefully we can do more in the future with this kind of partnership. Thank you from the Northern Village of Buffalo Narrows."

The Buffalo Narrows project consists of a single-storey four-plex. Each one-bedroom unit will be approximately 560 square feet or 52 square meters. The four-plex will be located at 1619 Hanson Street in Buffalo Narrows. The Government of Canada, through Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), and the Province of Saskatchewan, through Saskatchewan Housing Corporation, provided a combined investment of close to $500,000 through the Investment in Affordable Housing Agreement. The Northern Village of Buffalo Narrows will provide more than $225,000 in equity, land and services.

Annually, the Government of Canada, through CMHC, will invest approximately $2 billion in housing. Of this amount, $1.7 billion will be spent in support of close to 600,000 households living in existing social housing. In Saskatchewan, this represents an estimated 28,000 households. The remaining funding supports housing-related activities and affordable housing programs, including the Investment in Affordable Housing. 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. Economic Action Plan 2013 continues this commitment with a federal investment of more than $1.25 billion over five years to renew the Investment in Affordable Housing to 2019. The Government of Canada will ensure that funds provided to provinces and territories support the use of apprentices, which will support training of skilled labour. From April 2011 to June 2014, close to 184,000 households have benefited from this investment nationally, including 1,673 households in Saskatchewan.

In October 2012, the Government of Saskatchewan released the Saskatchewan Plan for Growth: Vision 2020 and Beyond, which sets out the Government's vision for a province of 1.2 million people by 2020. The Plan identifies principles, goals and actions to ensure Saskatchewan is capturing the opportunities and meeting the challenges of a growing province. Since 2011, the Government of Saskatchewan has invested $326 million to develop more than 5,600 units and repair more than 24,300 homes around the province.

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-schl.gc.ca.