Grants to build housing knowledge

Everyone deserves a safe place to call home. Today, the Governments of Canada and Nova Scotia announced over $916,000 in grants to community housing groups across the province to help build knowledge and capacity for vital housing work in their communities.

The Community Housing Capacity Building Program, which is jointly funded through the Canada – Nova Scotia Bilateral Agreement under the National Housing Strategy (NHS), is responsible for the financing.

The grants will fund governance and operations reviews, growth and development plans, create community land trusts, and other capacity building needs.

Organizations receiving grants:

• Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia, HRM: $160,412 (two grants)
• Strait Area Housing Development Society, Port Hawkesbury, Inverness Co.: $85,000
• Tawaak Housing Association, HRM: $74,750
• Housing Trust Nova Scotia, HRM: $74,750
• Preston Area Housing Fund, HRM: $65,090
• DownTheMarsh Commmunity Land Trust, Truro, Colchester Co.: $63,900
• YWCA, HRM: $58,200
• Wenjikwom Housing Commission Society, Truro, Colchester Co.: $57,500
• Cape Breton Community Housing Association, CBRM: $46,000
• New Dawn, CBRM: $46,000
• Upper Hammonds Plains Community Land Trust, HRM: $40,000
• Queen’s Care, Liverpool, Queens Co.: $40,000
• Dartmouth Non-Profit, HRM: $28,600
• Cooperative Housing Federation of Canada, Antigonish/Kentville: $22,425
• Old School Community Gathering, Musquodoboit Harbour, HRM: $17,250
• Alice Housing, HRM: $16,958
• New Ross, Lunenburg Co.: $12,650
• Viola’s Place, New Glasgow, Pictou Co.: $7,159

Quotes:

“A safe place to sleep is not a luxury. It is a fundamental human right. As government, we are helping to make this a reality through helping community housing organizations undertake the tremendous work that they do. Today’s news is a boost to the economic and social well-being of our neighbours across the entire country, and I am so pleased that this announcement includes investments right here in Central Nova in organizations like Viola’s Place and the Old School Community Gathering Place.”

“We need strong community housing organizations as we respond to the housing crisis. They know their communities well, and they know how best to meet their needs. We are pleased to support these organizations and help them build strength and expertise for the work ahead.”

“There are some important questions we need to address in the changing housing market in Cape Breton. We need to think about what kinds of housing are best for newcomers, seniors, single adults, and low-income prospective homebuyers, and where they should be located. How do we integrate energy production into our homes and buildings, and how do we offer safe, affordable housing sustainably? This funding will allow us to address those questions as an organization.”

Quick facts:

• The Province of Nova Scotia has committed more than $35 million to create over 1,100 new affordable housing units across the province.
• Of those, 425 were new rent supplements. The province now provides over 4,700 rent supplements every month to help Nova Scotians with the cost of rent.
• In November 2021, the province also invested over $400,000 to help five community housing groups working across the province.
• Canada's NHS is an ambitious, 10-year plan that will invest over $72 billion to give more Canadians a place to call home. Launched in 2017, the NHS will build and repair thousands of housing units and help households with affordability support.
• CMHC supports the government's efforts to improve the well-being of Canadians facing housing and homelessness challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.

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

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

Krista Higdon
Municipal Affairs and Housing
Cell: 902-220-6619
Krista.higdon@novascotia.ca