Joint Government Funding Increases Affordable Housing in Calgary

CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwire - Sept. 10, 2012) - Seniors in search of affordable housing in Calgary will have more housing options thanks to a $10.7 million joint investment for Lions Village by the Government of Canada and the Government of Alberta. Today, Lions Village is celebrating its official opening. This new 90 unit affordable housing complex in Calgary has been created to help meet the needs of low-income seniors within the City of Calgary. Lions Village will be more than a home for seniors. It is designed to offer social and activity for the residents and welcome interaction with service clubs and services for seniors within the communities of West Hillhurst and Parkdale.

The Honourable Diane Ablonczy, Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas and Consular Affairs) and Member of Parliament for Calgary-Nose Hill, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and Wayne Cao, Member of the Legislative Assembly for Calgary-Fort, on behalf of Alberta Municipal Affairs Minister Doug Griffiths, made the announcement today.

"Through Economic Action Plan 2012, our Government is taking concrete action to create jobs, growth and long-term prosperity," said Minister Ablonczy. "Funding projects like Lions Village will not only improve the overall housing conditions for seniors in Calgary, but also help stimulate the local economy and create jobs."

"Developing innovative solutions to housing challenges is important as housing is both an economic and social issue," said Alberta Municipal Affairs Minister Doug Griffiths. "Alberta continues to close the gap in demand for housing by investing wisely with partners, and each year more housing comes on stream providing a better quality of life for thousands of Albertans in need."

"It is a testament to the resolve of all the stakeholders involved in the Lions Village that this project, spearheaded by the Lions Club of Calgary, has been completed on time and on budget. The federal and Alberta governments, the architects of NORR Architects, the Centron Group and the countless thousands of hours donated by our volunteers can collectively take great pride in the knowledge that they played key roles in making Lions Village a reality today," said Otto Silzer, Co-chair, Treasurer of the Lions Club of Calgary.

Non-profit organizations, private businesses and municipalities were eligible to apply for the funding through Alberta's Affordable Housing Request for Proposals process which leverages government funding with private-sector dollars. Successful applicants receive funding to purchase or build affordable housing units, renovate existing rental units, develop secondary units in private homes or support other options as identified by the community.

The Government of Canada, through CMHC, will invest more than $2 billion in housing this year. Of this amount, $1.7 billion will be spent in support of almost 605,000 households living in existing social housing. In Alberta, this represents some 38,400 households. These investments are improving the quality of life for low-income Canadians and households living in existing social housing, including individuals who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness, seniors, persons with disabilities, recent immigrants and Aboriginal people.

The Government of Alberta has a clear plan for a strong economic recovery. The Way Forward will bring Alberta back into a surplus position in three years by trimming government spending; using cash reserves to protect key programs; continuing to invest in public infrastructure; and ensuring that our province's industries are competitive and continue to attract investment to provide jobs and prosperity.

The Lions Club of Calgary has provided the community with much needed affordable housing for seniors and those with disabilities since 1952.

The Alberta government is on track to reach its goal to create 11,000 affordable housing units by 2012 with more than 8,700 units being supported during the first three years of the provincial affordable housing initiative. For more information on affordable housing support, visit www.housing.alberta.ca.

To find out more about how the Government of Canada and CMHC are working to build stronger homes and communities for all Canadians, call CMHC at 1-800-668-2642 or visit www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca.