Official Opening for 34-Unit Seniors Residence in Whitehorse

WHITEHORSE, YUKON--(Marketwired - Nov. 13, 2014) - The Governments of Canada and Yukon, along with community partners, gathered today to celebrate the official opening of a new 34-unit senior's residence located at 207 Alexander Street in Whitehorse.

The Alexander Street Seniors' Residence is in close proximity to the downtown core which includes shopping and medical services. The flat terrain of the downtown area is suitable for walking, wheelchair accessibility, and/or mobility scooter use. The four storey building includes accessible suites with in-suite storage, accessible showers and balconies. There are two elevators, common rooms, and a large lobby area. The building is energy efficient and uses low maintenance materials to reduce operating and maintenance costs.

Quick facts:

• Funding for this $12.7 million project was made available through the extension of the Canada-Yukon Affordable Housing Program Agreement. The federal and territorial governments provided a combined investment of $9.95M.
• An additional $2.7 million was provided through the Yukon Housing Corporation Senior's Housing Management Fund.

Quotes:

Ryan Leef, Member of Parliament for Yukon -

"The Government of Canada is helping to make affordable housing available in Yukon and across Canada for those who need it the most. These new units in Whitehorse will help seniors access safe and affordable housing that meets their needs, close to family and friends."

Brad Cathers, Minister responsible for Yukon Housing Corporation and MLA for Lake Laberge -

"The Yukon government committed to ensuring that further housing options would be made available for seniors. I am pleased that Yukon seniors have access to this new, energy efficient housing in a central location, close to many important amenities."

Associated links:

Annually, the Government of Canada, through Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), will invest approximately $2 billion in housing. These investments improve 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. November 22 is National Housing Day-celebrate with CMHC. Thanks to partnerships at all levels, we help Canadians meet their housing needs. To find out more, call CMHC at 1-800-668-2642 or visit www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca.

To learn more about Yukon Housing Corporation visit www.housing.yk.ca.

Stay connected:

• Follow CMHC on Twitter @CMHC_ca

• Connect with the Government of Yukon at: www.gov.yk.ca