83 new homes planned for Fort Saskatchewan

Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, January 19, 2022

Everyone in Canada deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. Affordable housing is key to Canada’s pandemic recovery, especially for communities across the country, including in Fort Saskatchewan.

Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity, the Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance, and Member of Parliament for Edmonton Centre, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources Canada, and the Honourable Josephine Pon, Minister of Seniors and Housing for Alberta, along with Gale Katchur, Mayor of Fort Saskatchewan, and Joanne Vanderheyden, President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, announced details of a total investment of nearly $17.3 million to support low-income families and individuals in need.

The project will create 83 new homes in a 4-storey building and will be located at 9410 – 94^th Avenue in Fort Saskatchewan. Named in honour of former Alberta Legislative Assembly Member and Mayor of Fort Saskatchewan, Muriel Ross Abdurahman, the project will be built using an innovative design that incorporates traditional wood construction and modular elements like shipping containers. Additionally, it will provide accessible accommodations, while also bringing its energy performance to net-zero levels.

The building will be owned and operated by Heartland Housing Foundation and offer a variety of housing options to meet the different needs of families, seniors, those living with disabilities, and young singles alike. Residents will also have access to volunteer opportunities and community supports through organizations like The Robin Hood Association, Family and Community Supports, Families First Society, and Meals on Wheels.

Construction of the building is underway, with completion estimated by fall 2022.

Quotes:

“Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. Our government is committed to helping those who need it most, and today’s announcement will go a long way to supporting our most vulnerable in Fort Saskatchewan. This is the National Housing Strategy hard at work, and we will continue to do our part to ensure that everyone has a safe, and reliable roof over their heads.”
— The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion

“The fight against climate change will not be won if we do not tackle the issue of energy efficiency in buildings all across the country. Our government is pleased to support Canadian municipalities in line with our commitment to make homes more energy efficient and more affordable for Canadian families. When Canadians spend less on energy, it means more money in their pocket.”
— The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources Canada

“Our government committed to making it easier for Canadians and Albertans to find a safe and affordable place to call home, and we are delivering. We are working with all levels of government, with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, and with Heartland Housing Foundation to provide funding that will benefit families and individuals in Fort Saskatchewan. This will have a positive impact on residents and contribute to building a strong foundation for a sustainable economic future.”
— The Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Tourism, Associate Minister of Finance, and Member of Parliament for Edmonton Centre

“Housing is the foundation for a bright and prosperous future. These beautiful new homes will provide the stability residents need to improve their lives and financial situations. Thanks to our strategic partnerships, innovative projects like this are helping us meet the diverse housing needs of Albertans, now and in the future.”
— The Honourable Josephine Pon, Minister of Seniors and Housing for Alberta

“The City of Fort Saskatchewan is pleased to partner with the Government of Canada, the Government of Alberta, Heartland Housing Foundation, and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities to help provide this new affordable housing in our community. This is a much-needed project, and we are grateful to all the organizations who made it a reality.”
— Gale Katchur, Mayor, City of Fort Saskatchewan

“Municipalities are on the front lines of climate change and climate action, and communities of all sizes are showing climate leadership at a time when we need it most. The investments we are seeing today through the Green Municipal Fund empower municipalities to get results on the ground. We deliver results with our partners — helping cities and communities tackle affordable housing challenges, create jobs and build a greener, more sustainable country. Together, we are on the path to net-zero.”
— Joanne Vanderheyden, President, Federation of Canadian Municipalities

“Heartland Housing Foundation is proud of this partnership to bring 83 units of much needed below market rentals to the City of Fort Saskatchewan. Demand for these units is already quite high, and we are pleased to see how the community has embraced this development. Our hope is that Muriel Ross Abdurahman Court will be a place that generations of leaders — like Muriel herself — will grow up and thrive in an inclusive and vibrant community.”
— Mike Derbyshire, Board Chair, Heartland Housing Foundation

Quick facts:

The total investments by all parties for the development of the Muriel Ross Abdurahman Court project is nearly $17.3 million and includes:

$6.51 million from the Government of Canada, through the National Housing Co-investment Fund
$2.89 million from the Government of Canada through Natural Resources Canada and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund
$6.27 million through the Government of Canada and the Province of Alberta’s Bilateral Agreement under the National Housing Strategy
$1.11 million from the City of Fort Saskatchewan and a $500,000 federal tax rebate

With a budget of $13.2 billion, the National Housing Strategy’s National Housing Co-investment Fund (NHCF) gives priority to projects that help those in greatest need, including women and children fleeing family violence, seniors, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, those dealing with mental health and addictions, veterans and young adults.
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.
Under the NHCF, investments are also planned to create or repair at least 4,000 shelter spaces for victims of family violence, as well as create at least 7,000 new affordable housing units for seniors and 2,400 new affordable housing units for people with developmental disabilities.
To help Canadians find affordable housing, Budget 2021 provides an additional $2.5 billion over seven years in new funding and to reallocate $1.3 billion in previously announced funding to speed up the construction, repair, and support over 35,000 additional housing units.
In Budget 2021, $750 million in existing funding under NHCF has been advanced to 2021 – 22 and 2022 – 23. This will accelerate the creation of 3,400 new units and the repair of 13,700 units. $250 million in existing funding will also be allocated to support the construction, repair, and operating costs of an estimated 560 units of transitional housing and shelter spaces for women and children fleeing violence. This funding will help the Government address gender-based violence.
Canada’s National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year, $72+ billion plan that will give more Canadians a place to call home.

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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, please visit www.placetocallhome.ca.

Muriel Ross Abdurahman Court is owned and will be managed by Heartland Housing Foundation, a local Housing Management Body that manages the bulk of the affordable housing in Strathcona County and Fort Saskatchewan. (www.heartlandhousing.ca)