Canada announces more affordable housing coming to Yellowknife

Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion was joined by the Honourable Daniel Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, Michael McLeod, Member of Parliament for Northwest Territories, the Honourable Paulie Chinna, Minister Responsible for Housing Northwest Territories (Housing NWT), and Rebecca Alty, Mayor of Yellowknife announce over $23 million of joint funding for the creation of 63 units of affordable rental housing for at-risk individuals.

Lynn’s Place II, located at 4904 54 Street, is a 21-unit affordable rental project for women and children. The Government of Canada is providing $12.5 million through the National Housing Co-Investment Fund (NHCF) and $5 million to the City of Yellowknife through the second phase of the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) which will go towards Lynn’s Place II. This federal investment under the National Housing Strategy joins contributions and supports from the Government of Northwest Territories through Housing NWT.

YWCA NWT contributed over $1 million in cash equity and will operate Lynn’s Place II. Housing NWT has multi-year funding arrangements in place to provide the YWCA with operating and initiative funding of over $500,000. Construction began May 2022 and is expected to be completed by July 2023.

Spruce Bough, formerly the Arnica Inn and located at 4115 Franklin Street, includes 42 bachelor units for at-risk men and women in the community. The Government of Canada is providing $6 million through the NHCF. The Government of Northwest Territories, through Housing NWT, made a capital cash contribution of $620,000 while the Yellowknife Women’s Society gave $150,000 in cash equity and the sites previous owners made a generous donation of $300,000.

Building amenities include 24-hour support staff, common areas, and office space for programs run by the Yellowknife Women’s Society. Construction is expected to be completed by December 2023.

Quotes:

“Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. That is why we are creating 63 much-needed affordable rental housing units and on-site support services for at-risk individuals in Yellowknife. Building housing like Lynn’s Place II and Spruce Bough is key to ending the cycle of homelessness and family violence. Our government remains committed to working with our partners to deliver more housing options in Yellowknife and across the North. This is one of the many ways our government’s National Housing Strategy continues to ensure no one is left behind.”

“A house is more than just four walls and a roof — it’s a safe place to call home, raise a family, to live with dignity. Our Government continues to make historic affordable housing investments in the Northwest Territories and across the country to help create jobs and improve the quality of life for people who need it most. When complete, these two new developments will bring 63 more affordable rental units for Yellowknife families.”

“With this announcement, we are providing Yellowknife’s most vulnerable residents with safe, supportive and affordable rental housing that will help bring a positive change to their lives. Through partnerships with all levels of government and local stakeholders, we are working to ensure that all people in Yellowknife and across our Territory have safe and affordable housing.”

“It is important that NWT residents have a safe and affordable place to call home. We welcome this partnership through the National Housing Co-Investment Fund and look forward to finding more ways to collaborate effectively to increase the wellbeing of individuals and communities by providing fair access to quality housing for people most in need. Only through collaboration and working in partnership will we be able to effectively address the NWT’s housing crisis.”

“Supporting the housing needs of all Yellowknifers, including women and children, is so important to our community and the City of Yellowknife. This project helps to fill an important gap and ensures that more women and children will have access to affordable, safe housing, with crucial support services, which may have life changing impacts for many individuals for years to come. I am very excited to see that this project has already started, and look forward to future opportunities and partnerships to help expand affordable housing in Yellowknife.”

“Affordable, safe, and secure housing is fundamental to women's safety and economic security, and we are extremely grateful for the support and vision of our funding partners to help make this much needed building a reality. This project is built from the belief that together, we can foster equity and create a healthy and safe community, and in just a few months, we look forward to providing a wrap-around hub of support in a safe space where women and families can reach their full potential.”

“The funding provided for the Spruce Bough building purchase and renovations currently happening on site, have established a 20-year commitment to providing safe and supportive housing for vulnerable homeless elders in the community. This vision started in 2018 and has been a journey for sure but the outcome is going to be worth the wait.”

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 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 Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) is a $2.5 billion program under the National Housing Strategy (NHS) to help address the urgent housing needs of vulnerable Canadians, especially in the context of COVID-19, through the rapid construction of over 10,000 units of affordable housing.
• The RHI takes a human rights-based approach to housing, serving people experiencing or at risk of homelessness and other vulnerable people, including women and children fleeing domestic violence, seniors, young adults, Indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, people experiencing mental health and addiction issues, veterans, LGBTQ2S+ individuals, racialized and Black Canadians, recent immigrants, and refugees.
• Units are intended to be constructed within 12 months of funding being provided to program applicants (with some exceptions). Units in the North and remote communities are intended to be constructed within 18 months.
• Budget 2022 proposes to provide $1.5 billion over the next two years to extend the RHI and create 4,500 additional affordable housing units across Canada, with at least 25% of funding going towards women-focused housing projects.
• 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.

Check out the National Housing Strategy Housing Funding Initiatives Map to see the 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

Cabinet Communications
Government of the Northwest Territories
PressSecretary@gov.nt.ca