Canada supports building of 47 homes in Winnipeg

Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, the Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs and Minister responsible for PrairiesCan and CanNor, the Honourable Rochelle Squires Riel, Manitoba Minister of Families, and John Pollard, co-CEO of Pollard Banknote and president of Home First Winnipeg Inc., announced the opening of a new apartment building that will provide 47 new supportive homes for people with mental health or substance use challenges and who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of experiencing homelessness in Winnipeg.

The Government of Canada has provided $2.2 million through the National Housing Co-Investment Fund (NHCF), a key pillar of the National Housing Strategy, as a forgivable loan in support of this project.

The new Ross Ellen housing complex is located at 390 Ross Avenue and will be operated by Home First Winnipeg Inc., a non-profit charitable corporation established by the Pollard family to provide safe, quality and affordable housing for Winnipeg’s homeless population. The building will include 15 accessible homes for people with disabilities.

The building includes a ground floor with a commercial kitchen and common dining area, as well as a living room, game room, TV area and a round room for Indigenous cultural activities. The landscaped fenced yards offer tenants an outdoor patio and community garden area to enjoy.

Previously announced funding for this project is as follows:

• $1.1 million through the Canada – Manitoba Housing Bilateral Agreement under the National Housing Strategy.
• $60,000 in funding from CMHC Seed Funding.
• $100,000 in funding in the form of a capital grant from the City of Winnipeg.
• $100,000 in funding from the non-profit End Homelessness Winnipeg through Reaching Home, Canada’s Homelessness Strategy.
• $4.4 million in donations from the Pollard family.
• $800,000 was provided through the federal and provincial Shared Health Priorities bilateral agreement.

Quotes:

“Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. Today's announcement reflects our ongoing collaboration with all orders of government to deliver meaningful results and increased affordability for vulnerable Canadians. Through this combined investment, we are creating 47 homes of affordable housing for those who need it most in Winnipeg. This is just one of the many ways the National Housing Strategy is ensuring no one is left behind.” 

“Working together with our provincial, municipal and community partners is crucial to ensuring that every resident of Winnipeg has access to safe, affordable housing, with the necessary supports to meet their needs. Today’s announcement of 47 new homes for those living with addiction and mental health challenges is another step our government is taking to address the unique housing needs of our city.”

“Addressing the complex challenge of homelessness calls for innovative approaches that address its root causes in a holistic way. This new affordable housing building aligns with our government’s new homelessness strategy that will fund up to 700 new social housing units this year and introduce new wrap-around services to help those experiencing homelessness. We have been pleased to collaborate with our colleagues in the federal and municipal governments, as well as our partners in the private sector, on this important initiative.” 

Quick facts:

• The National Housing Co-Investment Fund (NHCF) is a $13.2 billion 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.
  • Budget 2022 advanced $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. Budget 2023 proposes to build on this momentum by allocating more of the Fund to building new units.
• Canada's National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year, $82-plus billion plan that will give more Canadians a place to call home.
  • NHS is built on strong partnerships between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments, and continuous engagement with others, including municipalities, Indigenous governments and organizations, and the social and private housing sectors. This includes consultations with Canadians from all walks of life, and people with lived experience of housing need.
  • All NHS investments delivered by the federal, provincial, and territorial governments will respect the key principles of NHS that support partnerships, people, and communities.
  • As with all projects for women and children leaving violence, the address of this project has not been disclosed due to safety reasons.

Additional information:

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.

Information on this news release:

Shiraz Keushgerian
Office of the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion
Shiraz.Keushgerian@infc.gc.ca

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