Canada makes investments in housing in Saint John

Saint John, New Brunswick, December 21, 2022

Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, alongside Wayne Long, Member of Parliament for Saint John – Rothesay, the Honourable Dorothy Shephard, Minister responsible for the Economic and Social Inclusion Corporation and Member of the Legislative Assembly for Saint John Lancaster, and Mayor Donna Noade Reardon, City of Saint John, Jillian Jordan, Chairperson of Saint John Non Profit Housing Incorporated, Jay Kimball, President of the Rotary Club of Saint John, announced a combined $16 million investment to create 47 residential units in Saint John. Construction at The Wellington is currently underway.

The six-storey apartment building is located at 7 Wellington Row and is owned and operated by Saint John Non Profit Housing Incorporated. The building will feature 47 residential units, including over half of the homes with rents geared to income for non-elderly singles and persons with disabilities. Three of the one-bedroom units will be fully accessible and the whole building is designed to the universal design standard including common areas and apartment suites.

The site is well-located in the downtown core, with close proximity to many amenities including transit, grocery stores, community centres, health services and more. Part-time, on-site support is available for those with intellectual disabilities through L’Arche Saint John. The main level of the development will include office and restaurant space.

The Wellington will be one of the first apartment complexes constructed to the Passive House design standard in Atlantic Canada. It will significantly reduce the building's ecological footprint and require little energy for heating and cooling. Construction is expected to be complete in spring 2023.

Funding provided for this project is as follows:

$11.5 million from the federal government, through the National Housing Co-Investment Fund
$960,000 from the provincial government, through Affordable Rental Housing Program and approximately $2.85 million over 20 years in rent supplement funding
$471,984 from the City of Saint John through the Construction Challenges and Building Permit Grant and the Residential Density Grant
$150,000 from Rotary Senior Citizens Ltd

Quotes:

“Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. Our Government is committed to delivering housing options in New Brunswick and across the country. With a mix of 24 affordable rental units and 23 market rental units, this innovative, sustainable project in Saint John will cater to a diverse range of socio-economic backgrounds and foster a strong sense of community. This is our government’s National Housing Strategy in action.”
— The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion

“The Wellington will bring much-needed housing to uptown Saint John, while staying true to the historic elements that make this city so vibrant and leading in sustainability in Atlantic Canada. It is a great example of innovation that will serve the needs of the community of Saint John. Our Government will continue to collaborate with partners at all levels to bring modern housing solutions to the community.”
— Wayne Long, Member of Parliament for Saint John – Rothesay

“Housing issues are a priority for the provincial government. That is why we are pleased to support various projects and initiatives to help provide more housing options to New Brunswickers, from single individuals to families and seniors.”
— The Honourable Dorothy Shephard, Minister of Social Development

“Saint John like many communities across the country, is facing a housing crisis. All levels of government must work together to create solutions for this challenge. The Wellington aligns with Saint John's Affordable Housing Action Plan by providing both affordable and market rate housing. It will be built to international Passive House energy standards and will be one of the most sustainable buildings in Eastern Canada. Thanks to our Federal, Provincial and local partners, we are one step closer to completion of this exceptional project.”
— Donna Noade Reardon, Mayor, City of Saint John

“Innovative developments like the Wellington are not possible without partnerships. We all must work together to achieve our shared interest of inclusive housing; housing that is accessible to all regardless of income, age or ability. Saint John Non Profit Housing is grateful to our partners who helped make this development a reality.”
— Jillian Jordan, Chairperson of Saint John Non Profit Housing Inc.

“The Rotary Club of Saint John is honoured to be a part of The Wellington Project. It has been a long time coming but well worth the wait. Rotary, in Saint John, is celebrating our 108th year in serving the community with a major focus on “at risk youth and isolated seniors” and The Wellington is a perfect fit for our efforts. Please visit www.sjrotary.ca to learn more about our club.”
— Jay Kimball, President of the Rotary Club of Saint John

Quick facts:

The National Housing Co-Investment Fund (NHCF) is a $13.2 billion program under the National Housing Strategy (NHS) that gives priority to projects that help people who need it most, including women and children fleeing family violence, seniors, Indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, those with mental health or addiction issues, veterans, and young adults.
- Budget 2022 proposes to advance $2.9 billion in funding under the NHCF to accelerate the creation of up to 4,300 new units and the repair of up to 17,800 units.
Canada's National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year, $72-plus billion plan that will give more Canadians a place to call home.

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 NHS that support partnerships, people, and communities.
As with all projects for women and children leaving violence, the address of this project has not been disclosed due to safety reasons.

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. CMHC’s aim is that by 2030, everyone in Canada has a home they can afford and that meets their needs. For more information, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.

To find out more about the National Housing Strategy, please visit www.placetocallhome.ca.

The Affordable Rental Housing Program provides financial assistance to private entrepreneurs, private non-profit corporations (includes off-reserve Indigenous population), and co-operatives for the construction, repair, and conversion of rental housing projects. Assistance is in the form of forgivable loans and is based upon the cost of eligible work and the number of eligible self-contained units or bed units within a project. Information on the program is available online.