Federal and Provincial government partner to help build new affordable homes in Hamilton

The Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario announced a combined investment of over $1.9 million through the Canada – Ontario Community Housing Initiative (COCHI) to help build 24 affordable homes in Hamilton. This investment adds to the federal government’s previously announced investments to build and repair over 12,750 homes in Hamilton.

King William Supportive Housing Building, located at 257 King William Street, was completed in October and residents started moving in this month. It is owned by CityHousing Hamilton and operated by Indwell which will deliver city-funded wrap-around supports to residents. The building has 24 supportive apartments for Black, Indigenous, and racialized individuals experiencing homelessness in Hamilton.

A breakdown of funding for the supportive housing project includes:

• $6.47 million from the federal government through the second round of the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI2) that was previously announced in 2022.
• $1.9 million from the Canada – Ontario Community Housing Initiative (COCHI).
• $1.4 million annually from the City of Hamilton to provide supports and rent subsidies.

Quotes:

“The Government of Canada is committed to working with local partners to develop and implement housing solutions for those who need it the most. Thanks to this collaborative effort, there are more safe and affordable places that people in our community can call home.”

“The official opening of King William Supportive Housing Building is a significant milestone for our city. It reflects the strength of our community and the dedication of everyone involved in making affordable housing a reality. These new homes are providing stability and hope for those who need it most.”

“Today’s Grand Opening and funding announcement continues the federal government’s record of helping Ontarians find the safe and supportive housing they need. I’m thrilled to see this project complete. Congratulations to everyone who worked hard on this project; I wish the residents great success in their new homes.”

“Our government is leveraging every resource available to increase housing supply and make life more affordable for families across Ontario. From Hamilton to communities throughout the province, we are focused on driving the construction of urgently needed homes. By partnering with all levels of government, we are working hard to eliminate obstacles, expedite approvals, and explore innovative strategies. This includes adopting new methods, such as factory-built homes, to reduce costs and tackle the housing crisis. Our goal is to deliver tangible solutions that enable families across Ontario to secure a place to call home, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to achieving this.”

“The King William Affordable Housing project builds on more than $246 million that our government has invested to address homelessness in Hamilton over the last four years. We are providing municipalities with essential funding to help get people into affordable homes, while ensuring that wrap-around supports are available for those who need it.”

“Our government is strengthening our commitment to ensuring that Indigenous community members have access to the opportunities they deserve, no matter where they live. Today’s investment in affordable housing in Hamilton is a step in achieving lasting reconciliation in lockstep with federal and municipal partners, leading to a prosperous future for all of Ontario.”

“These 24 supportive housing units for community members actively experiencing homelessness are another important step in reducing chronic homelessness. The residents were selected from our By-Name-List, meaning they’ve been actively homeless in the past 90 days. This is crucial to our progress in getting Hamiltonians housed. When governments work together, they can make incredible strides in increasing the supply of affordable and supportive housing and reducing chronic homelessness which is essential to the social and economic well-being of Hamilton.”

“Black, Indigenous and racialized individuals are disproportionately impacted when experiencing homelessness. Through this funding from all levels of government, 24 neighbours now have a supportive and beautiful home to live in. I am grateful for the partnership between Indwell and CityHousing Hamilton, to ensure our neighbours are wrapped with supportive services to enable them to move from being in survival mode and into thriving together. This partnership models the type of solution we critically need more of to address the crisis in our city.”

“It’s a joy for our staff team to welcome 24 people into these new homes. We are committed to providing the supports each individual needs to remain successfully housed. We are thankful for all levels of government working together with CityHousing Hamilton to create these homes; it is truly a collaborative effort. Every door we open together becomes a solution to homelessness.”

Quick facts:

• The federal government funding through the second round of the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI2) was announced in 2022
• The National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10+ year, $115+ billion plan to give more Canadians a place to call home. Progress on programs and initiatives is updated quarterly at www.placetocallhome.ca. The Housing Funding Initiatives Map shows affordable housing projects that have been developed.
  • As of September 2024, the federal government has committed $57.57 billion to support the creation of over 156,000 units and the repair of over 297,000 units. These measures prioritize those in greatest need, including seniors, Indigenous Peoples, people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and women and children fleeing violence.
• The Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) is delivered through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) under the NHS. It provides funding to facilitate the rapid construction of new housing and the acquisition of existing buildings for the purpose of rehabilitation or conversion to permanent affordable housing units. With its third phase, launched in 2022, the Rapid Housing Initiative once again exceeded targets. It is expected that over 5,200 new homes will be created through this phase, of which almost half will be for women and one third will be for Indigenous Peoples. The total number of units created with the support of Rapid Housing Initiative is expected to be over 16,000 units. This program is now closed.
  • 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, 2SLGBTQI+ individuals, racialized groups, and recent immigrants or refugees.
• The Canada – Ontario Community Housing Initiative (COCHI) provides funding to repair, regenerate and expand community housing so tenants can live in a home that is affordable. It can also be used to support community housing providers whose original program arrangements are expiring and help them to become more sustainable.
• The City of Hamilton also provided $250,000 in capital costs in addition to the federal and provincial funding utilized for the construction of this building.

Additional information:

Visit canada.ca/housing for the most requested Government of Canada housing 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 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.

Progress on programs and initiatives are updated quarterly at www.placetocallhome.ca. The Housing Funding Initiatives Map shows affordable housing projects that have been developed.

Ontario’s Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act includes a variety of measures to streamline approvals and build more homes faster across the province.

Ontario has released the new Provincial Planning Statement, 2024 that provides municipalities with the tools and flexibility they need to hit their housing targets in a way that is responsive to local challenges and reflective of local priorities.

For more information on affordable housing in Ontario, visit ontario.ca/affordablehousing or follow us on Twitter.

For information on this news release contact:

Sofia Ouslis
Office of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
Sofia.Ouslis@infc.gc.ca

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

Anetes Anton
Office of the Associate Minister of Housing
Anetes.Anton@ontario.ca