Social Housing Being Renovated in Kitchener

KITCHENER, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - March 25, 2011) - The Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario today announced that Kitchener Centre received more than $7.7 million in funding to repair 1,596 existing social housing units through the Social Housing Renovation and Retrofit Program.

Stephen Woodworth, Member of Parliament for Kitchener Centre, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), the Honourable John Milloy, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities and Member of Provincial Parliament for Kitchener Centre, on behalf of the Honourable Rick Bartolucci, Ontario's Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and Ken Seiling, Waterloo Regional Chair, made the announcement.

"Through Canada's Economic Action Plan, our government is taking action to ensure economic recovery and to create the conditions for long-term growth," said MP Woodworth. "Renovation projects like these ones are a great way to get the local economy moving because they put construction workers and trades people to work quickly. At the same time, we're keeping homes safe and affordable, and improving the quality of life for residents of Kitchener."

"Our government is pleased to partner with the federal government and the Region of Waterloo to make community housing in Kitchener safer, more accessible, and energy efficient," said MPP Milloy. "Affordable housing is an essential part of our government's Open Ontario Plan to build a brighter future for all Ontarians."

"Community housing providers in the Region of Waterloo have benefitted from $20.9 million in SHRRP funding over the past two years," said Ken Seiling, Regional Chair, Region of Waterloo. "More than 200 individual improvement projects were completed by 47 community housing providers and included much needed capital repairs and energy efficiency projects – all of which will help ensure the long term sustainability of our affordable housing stock."

Repairs that are eligible for funding include general improvements, energy-efficiency upgrades or conversions, and modifications to support people with disabilities. These repairs will help improve the quality of social housing for low-income seniors, people with disabilities and families.

Today's announcement was made at St. Joseph's Place (the Portuguese Centre of KW), located at 181 Courtland Avenue East. The project received more than $164,000 for renovations, which include the modernization of elevators.

The Government of Canada wants to improve the quality of existing social housing to ensure that Canadians on fixed incomes can live with independence and dignity in their communities, close to family and friends. Canada's Economic Action Plan provides $850 million to provinces and territories, over two years, for the renovation and retrofit of existing provincially/territorially administered social housing. Overall, the Economic Action Plan includes $2 billion for the construction of new and the renovation of existing social housing, plus up to $2 billion in low-cost loans to municipalities for housing-related infrastructure. Canada's Economic Action Plan builds 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.

In 2009, Ontario allocated a combined federal and provincial investment of $704 million for the renovation of social housing, and $540 million for the creation of new affordable housing. The provincial investment is part of the Open Ontario plan, and is creating an estimated 23,000 jobs, while strengthening local economies across the province. Ontario's investment will result in the repair of more than 185,000 social housing units, while creating more than 6,400 new affordable housing units for low-income families, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities. As well, the province has made available $70 million for the use of renewable energy technologies to improve energy efficiency in social housing as part of its Green Energy Strategy.

Affordable housing is a key component of Ontario's Poverty Reduction Strategy. Download a copy of the Government of Ontario's Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy. To find out more about affordable housing in Ontario, visit www.ontario.ca/housing.

More information on this and other measures in Canada's Economic Action Plan 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.

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