Canada supports building of affordable housing in Calgary

Families and individuals in need of affordable homes will soon have a new place to call home in Calgary’s Seton community.

Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, alongside George Chahal, Member of Parliament for Calgary Skyview, Courtney Walcott, Deputy Mayor of Calgary, and Bernadette Majdell, CEO of HomeSpace Society, announced a combined investment of over $13 million to support the creation of 45 new affordable homes in Calgary.

The Government of Canada is contributing nearly $9 million through the National Housing Co-Investment Fund (NHCF). In addition, The City of Calgary will be contributing over $1.1 million, HomeSpace Society will be contributing over $500,000 and Brookfield will contribute $2.8 million.

The new homes are being built at 3765 Seton Link and will consist of four housing complexes with 45 units of stacked townhouses. This family-oriented development will include a mix of 3-bedrooms, 2-bedrooms and 1-bedrooms apartments. Nearly one third of the units will be built with accessibility features. A social service partner will also provide resident referrals, income testing, supports and community development for the project.

This project is the vision of HomeSpace, a charitable real estate developer, rental housing owner and property manager, who will operate and manage the Seton project. HomeSpace has a growth mandate to build more specialized, permanent, affordable housing in Calgary. HomeSpace is working in partnership with Brookfield Residential as part of a city-wide campaign to raise $120 million to build rental housing units for over 3000 Calgarians in need of affordable housing.

Quotes:

“Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. That is why our government, is continuing our efforts to bring new, affordable housing to Canadians across the country, including right here in Calgary. These homes will offer families and individuals the stability of having a roof above their head and will provide necessary supports to help them thrive. This is the National Housing Strategy at work.”

“Our government’s 10-year, $72+ billion National Housing Strategy is working to build affordable homes for those who need them the most — including right here in Calgary. Today’s announcement will help grow the Seton community by building new homes that are safe, accessible, and affordable for families and individuals. There truly is nothing more important than having a place to call home.”

“To address collective challenges, all orders of government, the non-profit and private sectors must be nimble and work together. Through the sale of City land for this project, we're committed to practical steps to address the shortage of affordable housing in all areas of Calgary. I want to thank all of the partners for working on this transformative project.”

“We can’t wait to welcome residents to their beautiful new homes in Seton. Affordable housing is needed more than ever, and we’re proud to offer a safe, affordable homes for families in this beautiful new community.”

“When we design a community, we look for a variety of amenities and gathering places to create the tools for the residents to make it special for them to make community. We are proud to partner with HomeSpace to bring affordable housing to Calgarians. Together, we are looking forward to welcoming families into our inclusive Seton Community.”

Quick facts:

• The National Housing Co-Investment Fund (NHCF) is a 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 living with disabilities, those with mental health or addiction issues, veterans, and young adults.
• With a budget of $13.2 billion, the NHCF plans to:
  • Create up to 60,000 new homes
  • Repair up to 240,000 homes
  • Create or repair at least 4,000 shelter spaces for victims of family violence
  • Create at least 7,000 new homes for seniors
  • Create at least 2,400 new homes for people with developmental disabilities
• 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.
• The Government of Canada’s National Housing Strategy (NHS) is an ambitious, 10-year plan that will invest over $72 billion to give more Canadians a place to call home.

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, visit: www.placetocallhome.ca.

Check out the National Housing Strategy Housing Funding Initiatives Map to see affordable housing projects that have been developed across Canada.

For information on this release:

Arevig Afarian
Office of the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion
arevig.afarian@infc.gc.ca

Media Relations
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
media@cmhc-schl.gc.ca