Canada makes major investment for supportive housing in Winnipeg

Winnipeg, Manitoba, June 24, 2021

Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. That is why the Government of Canada is partnering with the Riverwood Church Community Inc. for the construction of 40 new rental units in Winnipeg.

The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), alongside the Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs and Member of Parliament for Saint Boniface – Saint Vital announced an approximately $5 million financial commitment from the federal government, $2.5 million of which is a forgivable loan.

The Riverwood House is a Supportive Recovery Housing complex located at 65 Stadacona St in the Elmwood suburb, containing 40 bachelor units for people experiencing housing instability and who are in recovery from addictions and mental health issues. This will add to the current number of beds in Winnipeg, which is critically low for the numbers of people who are in the process of exiting addictions and mental health issues.

Riverwood House is to provide participants with a fully independent living experience that will faciliate the building of meaningful life-skills. Part of that experience will include access to a trauma informed recovery program. The project will provide an innovative approach to filling a supportive housing gap with a facility that provides abstinence-based housing within a community context. This will be accomplished through participants having access to onsite strategic services that won’t include the limitations of exit timelines restrictions during the recovery process. The goal of this project will be to create a stable and supportive housing community while helping individuals transition to lasting, healthy and meaningful independent living.

The federal funding is being delivered through CMHC’s National Housing Co-Investment Fund (NHCF), which supports new and revitalization construction of mixed-income, mixed-tenure, and mixed-use affordable housing. The NHCF is a key pillar of the Government of Canada’s National Housing Strategy (NHS).

Quotes:

“Through the National Housing Strategy, our government is supporting investments like this one in Winnipeg, so that collectively, we are better able to lift vulnerable populations of all races, age, and gender, find a home that meets their needs. These types of investments in our communities help create new jobs and stimulate the economy, while providing access to safe, affordable homes, and improving the quality of life of Canadians.”
— The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)

“A home is more than just a structure. It's a place where you should feel safe, sheltered, and secure. People recovering from addictions and mental health conditions deserve a safe and affordable place to call home where they can thrive and spend more time on their recovery. This investment will ensure that more affordable housing is available for people who need it most and I hope to see Riverwood House serve the needs of its residents for years to come.”
— The Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs and Member of Parliament for Saint Boniface—Saint Vital

“We’re proud to be part of this important partnership that will help protect Manitobans seeking assistance on their road to recovery. Access to safe and secure housing will help them tremendously.”
— Minister of Mental Health, Wellness and Recovery Audrey Gordon

“The Riverwood House Project Team is grateful for the vision of CMHC and their partnership in the development of this Supportive Recovery Housing initiative providing additional affordable and accessible housing with supports to those working toward full recovery and healthy integration into the neighbourhood.”
— Jon Courtney, Riverwood House Project Lead

Quick facts:

The breakdown of the rents for the 40 units is as follow:
- 21 units (bachelor units) will pay a fixed rent amount of $555 per month.
The provincial government (Manitoba Department of Families) will be paying:
- $576 per month for 10 bachelor units; and
- $632 per month for 9 bachelor units for people with disability(ies)
Since the median market rent is estimated at $740 per month for bachelor units in the Winnipeg area, 31 units are considered affordable as 80% of $740 is $592.
The project will meet CMHC accessibility requirements with a minimum of 22.5% units meeting internal accessibility criteria.
The project project aims to achieve at least 29.5% improvement in energy efficiency and 40% reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
Through the NHCF, the Government of Canada will work with partners to build up to 60,000 new affordable homes and repair up to 240,000 existing affordable and community homes over the next 10 years.
Investments are also planned in the NHCF to create or repair at least 4,000 shelter spaces for victims of family violence and create at least 7,000 new affordable housing units for seniors and 2,400 new affordable housing units for people with developmental disabilities.
Under the Investing in Canada plan, the Government of Canada is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada’s rural and northern communities.
In Budget 2021, $750 million in NHCF funding is being made available in 2021 – 22 and 2022 – 23. This will accelerate the creation of 3,400 new units, and the repair of 13,700 units.

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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, visit www.placetocallhome.ca.