Governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador Sign 10-Year Housing Agreement

Families, Indigenous communities and vulnerable Canadians in need of an affordable place to call home can count on long-term funding for community housing in Newfoundland and Labrador thanks to an agreement signed today by the federal and provincial governments.

The Honourable Seamus O’Regan, Minister of Indigenous Services, on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Canada’s Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), and the Honourable Dwight Ball, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, today announced they have reached a bilateral agreement under the National Housing Strategy (NHS). This agreement, which will be cost-shared by the governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador, demonstrates a joint commitment to prioritize affordable housing.

The 10-year agreement will invest more than $270.6 million to protect, renew and expand social and community housing, and support the Newfoundland and Labrador’s priorities related to housing repair, construction, and affordability. The governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador will also work together on the design and implementation of a new Canada Housing Benefit for the province, to provide affordability support directly to families and individuals in housing need. The new agreement marks the beginning of a partnership that will be supported by long-term and predictable funding starting April 1, 2019.

This is a progressive housing agreement that commits the governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador to new and higher standards of transparency, public engagement, and housing quality, including improved energy efficiency and accessibility. The agreement also acknowledges the importance of prioritizing people most in need, incorporating a human rights-based approach to housing, and applying a gender lens to all investments.

Quotes:

“The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that we all have a safe and affordable place to call home. Today, with the Newfoundland and Labrador Government, we are taking a big step towards that goal. With $135.3 million of federal investment, matched by the Province, and a commitment to expand new and affordable housing units by 15%, we are helping to ensure that everyone has a place to call home.”

“Quality, affordable housing is essential for families, neighbourhoods and communities to grow and to become stronger and more resilient. Today, the Government of Canada and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador continue our commitment to make that happen for those in need. We have come together to ensure that more people across our province have access to affordable and dignified housing.”

”As a government, we recognize that safe, stable and affordable housing is fundamental to our well-being as people and as a province. In working closely with the federal government, we are pleased to announce the 2019 – 2028 bilateral agreement that will provide more affordable and social housing options for families and individuals here in Newfoundland and Labrador.”

“This Bilateral Agreement is the result of tremendous collaboration between the Federal and Provincial Governments, and will help to pave the way for the finalization and implementation of our Provincial Housing and Homelessness Plan. The agreement will enable our government to significantly improve outcomes for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians wherever they may be along the housing continuum.”

Quick facts:

• The $270.6 million investment includes $135.3 million from the Government of Canada and $135.3 million from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.
• These investments are in addition to almost $293.3 million previously planned federal housing investments in Newfoundland and Labrador through the Social Housing Agreement (SHA) over the next 10 years. In addition to new construction, combined investments under the NHS bilateral agreement and the SHA will target the preservation of at least 5,957 existing community housing units in Newfoundland and Labrador.
• The NHS is an ambitious 10-year, $40-billion+ plan that will reduce or eliminate 530,000 families from housing need across Canada, create 100,000 new housing units, as well as repair and renew more than 300,000 housing units and reduce chronic homelessness by 50 per cent.
• Thanks to new investments proposed in Budget 2019, Canada’s National Housing Strategy will be a 10-year, $55 billion plan that will give more Canadians a place to call home.
• The new measures proposed in Budget 2019 will build on the Government’s previous investments to enhance housing affordability for those who need it most.
• The NHS is built on strong partnerships between the federal, provincial and territorial governments, and continuous engagement with others, including municipalities, Indigenous governments and organizations, and the social and private housing sectors. This includes consultations with Canadians from all walks of life, and people with lived experience of housing need.
• All NHS investments delivered by the federal, provincial and territorial governments will respect the key principles of the NHS that support partnerships, people and communities.
• The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador will develop and publish three-year action plans, beginning in 2019 – 2020, setting targets and outlining how it will use federal and cost-matched funding to achieve the desired outcomes.
• Since November 2015, the federal government has invested more than $179.1 million in housing in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Associated links:

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 all levels of Canadian government, consumers and the housing industry. For more information, follow us on Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

To find out more about Canada’s National Housing Strategy, visit www.placetocallhome.ca.

Media contacts:

Valérie Glazer
Press Secretary
Office of Minister Duclos
819-654-5546
valerie.glazer@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Public Affairs
514-884-7540

Jenny Bowring
Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation
709-724-3055
jmbowring@nlhc.nl.ca