REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN--(Marketwired - July 7, 2016) - The Honourable Ralph Goodale, on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, and the Honourable Donna Harpauer, Minister of the Ministry of Social Services, today announced measures to give Canadians greater access to more affordable housing, including the doubling of current funding under the Investment in Affordable Housing initiative, supporting affordable housing for seniors, building and renovating shelters and transition houses for victims of family violence, and addressing repairs and improving energy and water efficiency of existing social housing.
Federal Budget 2016 investments in affordable housing will provide targeted support to those who need it most, including in Saskatchewan, and create good jobs that help grow Canada's economy in a clean and sustainable way. The federal and provincial/territorial governments will work together to quickly deliver the new funding. Over the next two years, almost $74.1 million in funding will be jointly invested in Saskatchewan by the federal and provincial governments in various initiatives to support the housing needs of Saskatchewan citizens.
Quotes
"Through new investments in housing, the Government is helping to strengthen the economy and improve the quality of life for seniors and families, providing better places to live and grow." - Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
"The Government of Saskatchewan is proud to work with the Government of Canada to improve affordable housing options for seniors, maintain existing social housing stock, and construct and renovate shelters for victims of family violence. This investment will help improve the quality of life of Saskatchewan citizens, which fits in with our vision of keeping Saskatchewan strong and moving forward." - Honourable Donna Harpauer, Minister of Social Services and Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Housing Corporation
Quick Facts
The new federal government funding includes:
Stay Connected
• Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has been helping Canadians meet their housing needs for more than 70 years. As Canada's authority on housing, CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provide support for Canadians in housing need, and offer unbiased housing research and advice to Canadian governments, consumers and the housing industry. Prudent risk management, strong corporate governance and transparency are cornerstones of CMHC's operations. For more information, please call 1-800-668-2642 or visit www.cmhc.ca or follow us on Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.
• In October 2012, the Government of Saskatchewan released the Saskatchewan Plan for Growth: Vision 2020 and Beyond, which sets out the Government's vision for a province of 1.2 million people by 2020. The Plan identifies principles, goals and actions to ensure Saskatchewan is capturing the opportunities and meeting the challenges of a growing province. Since 2007, the Government of Saskatchewan has invested almost $700 million to develop and repair more than 14,600 homes around the province.
BACKGROUNDER
Investments in Affordable Housing in Canada
Measures over the next two years to give Canadians greater access to more affordable housing include:
Doubling of the current IAH funding levels by the Government of Canada and provinces and territories, to more than $1 billion over two years, starting in 2016-2017 and 2017-2018.
Through the IAH, the Government of Canada is also providing over two years:
To support $573.9 million for retrofits and renovations of social housing units in Canada, at least $485 million is also provided through the IAH and $82.7 million is delivered by the Government of Canada, through Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.
Contact Information: