Habitat for Humanity Gets $1M to Build New Homes in Regina

REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN--(Marketwired - Sept. 8, 2016) - The Government of Canada and the Government of Saskatchewan remain committed to making significant investments that will improve housing across the province, strengthen Canadian communities, and help create jobs and grow the middle class now while building a strong foundation for a sustainable economic future.

Today, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, and the Honourable Tina Beaudry-Mellor, Minister responsible for Saskatchewan Housing Corporation, announced $1 million in combined funding - by the Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan - for the construction of 18 new Habitat for Humanity homes across the province.

This investment will support Habitat for Humanity in making homes more affordable and will help improve the quality of life for families in Saskatchewan. The announcement was made at a groundbreaking ceremony for the second phase of Habitat for Humanity's Haultain Crossing project in Regina.

Quick facts:

• The Government of Canada, through Canada and Mortgage Housing Corporation (CMHC), along with the Government of Saskatchewan, through Saskatchewan Housing Corporation (SHC), are jointly committing $1 million to Habitat for Humanity through the 2014-2019 Investment in Affordable Housing Agreement and the 2016-2018 Social Infrastructure Fund (SIF).
  
  
• The 18 Habitat for Humanity homes include:
  • one in Duck Lake;
  • two in Prince Albert;
  • 10 in Regina; and
  • five in Saskatoon
    
    
• Funding of close to $556,000 was provided by CMHC and SHC for the construction of the 10 new homes at Haultain Crossing in Regina, providing more affordable homeownership options for families.
  
  
• The main and upper floors of each home total 1,174 square feet, or 109 square metres. Homes for larger families will also have finished basements.
  
  
• Since 2009, the Government of Saskatchewan has committed $7.85 million to Habitat for Humanity Saskatchewan chapters for low- to moderate-income families across the province in the 13 communities of Duck Lake, Fort Qu'Appelle, Humboldt, Lloydminster, Melfort, Moose Jaw, Nipawin, Battleford region, Prince Albert, Regina, Saskatoon, Weyburn and Yorkton. The addition of the $1.0 million in funding through the Federal/Provincial 2016-2018 SIF brings the total funding provided to Habitat chapters across the province to $8.85 million.
  
  
• Habitat for Humanity's innovative delivery model provides opportunities for families to stabilize their housing and to achieve their home ownership goals. Each partner family selected by Habitat for Humanity contributes 500 partnering hours in building their home or other Habitat homes. The organization mobilizes volunteers and partners to build homes that provide families of low-income with access to affordable home ownership. To learn more about Habitat for Humanity and their work across Saskatchewan, visit www.habitat.ca.
  
  

Quotes:

"Our Government is committed to helping organizations like Habitat for Humanity that build affordable homes designed to improve the quality of life for families. With our partners, we provide an affordable place to live and this also gives people a sense of belonging in the community. Congratulations to Habitat for Humanity and everyone involved."

- Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

"Habitat for Humanity does an incredible job building houses for Saskatchewan families and works with those families to become proud, responsible homeowners in our communities. The Government of Saskatchewan recognizes the value of Habitat for Humanity, and we are proud of the investments we have made with the Government of Canada as we work together to enrich the lives of all Saskatchewan families. The Haultain Crossing project in Regina marks another positive step forward in ensuring all residents of our province have a safe, quality house to call home."

- Honourable Tina Beaudry-Mellor, Minister of Social Services and Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Housing Corporation

"Haultain Crossing is a project that we are extremely proud of as an organization," Habitat for Humanity Regina CEO Kelly Holmes-Binns said. "With the support of our valued partners, we are able to start construction on phase two which will directly impact the community by providing 10 more hard-working, low-income families with homeownership opportunities to break the cycle of poverty in Saskatchewan."

Associated links:

• CMHC has been helping Canadians meet their housing needs for more than 70 years. As Canada's authority on housing, CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need, and offers unbiased housing research and advice to Canadian governments, consumers and the housing industry. Prudent risk management, strong corporate governance and transparency are cornerstones of CMHC's operations. For more information, please call 1-800-668-2642 or visit www.cmhc.ca.
  
  
• 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 2007, the Government of Saskatchewan has invested almost $700 million to develop and repair more than 14,600 homes around the province.
  
  
• Canadians are invited to help shape the National Housing Strategy by joining the conversation on www.LetsTalkHousing.ca. Your ideas will contribute to the future of housing in Canada.

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