Construction begins for a new housing project in Melfort

Logo: Government of Canada (CNW Group/Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation)

Logo: Government of Saskatchewan (CNW Group/Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation)

MELFORT, SK, Aug. 20, 2018 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada and the Province of Saskatchewan along with North East Outreach and Support Services (NEOSS) officially announced funding for the construction of a four-unit rental housing project, including support services, for women fleeing violence in the Melfort area.

The 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 (CMHC), along with the Honourable Paul Merriman, Minister of Social Services and Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Housing Corporation (SHC), and Louise Schweitzer, NEOSS Executive Director, made the announcement today.

Quotes:

"This investment is going to make a huge difference for survivors of domestic violence in Melfort. Safe and secure housing is the foundation for rebuilding a better life. Our Government is committed to working with partners like North East Outreach and Support Services to help survivors access stable and supportive environments from which the healing process can begin. With women representing 80% of victims of police-reported intimate partner violence across Canada, projects like this one are an important step toward dealing with gender violence more effectively‎.‎" ‎— Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

"The vision and commitment of North East Outreach and Support Services to help improve the lives of Saskatchewan women and children is commendable. Our Government shares this goal, and we are honoured to support this project and, most importantly, the women and children who will reside in these homes with the supports they require. We congratulate everyone involved with making this important project happen, and for supporting those in greatest housing need." — Honourable Paul Merriman, Minister of Social Services and Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Housing Corporation

"North East Outreach and Support Services is excited to provide another opportunity for families who are struggling to have a safe, affordable, adequate space to make their home, while they heal and grow together. This is an opportunity for families to take time to heal and learn to live nonviolently with supports close by. This new four-plex allows some of our more vulnerable families to be close to the personal violence counsellors as well as have affordable furnished housing, giving them a boost to get back on their feet and be successful in whatever endeavor they so choose." — Louise Schweitzer, Executive Director, North East Outreach and Support Services 

Quick Facts:

• The Federal and Provincial Governments, through CMHC and SHC, are jointly contributing approximately $670,000 towards the four units under the federal/provincial Investment in Affordable Housing 2014-2019 Agreement.
• This project will provide "second stage" housing for NEOSS clients who are ready to leave the organization's Safe Shelter property. It will give shelter residents more time to stabilize and gain independence, while staying close to NEOSS Personal Violence Counsellors. The project is expected to increase turnover, improving the availability of emergency beds at the shelter.
• The project is located adjacent to the NEOSS Safe Shelter, at 128 McKendry Avenue West in Melfort. The project consists of two two-bedroom units (842 ft²) and two four-bedroom units (1,300 ft²).
• North East Outreach and Support Services will contribute $287,000 in the form of cash/land equity and mortgage financing.
• The Government of Canada is currently rolling out its National Housing Strategy (NHS)—an ambitious 10-year, $40 billion plan that will create 100,000 new housing units and lift 530,000 families out of housing need as well as repair and renew more than 300,000 housing units and reduce chronic homelessness by 50 percent.
• The NHS is built on strong partnerships between federal, provincial and territorial governments, and on continuous engagement with others, including municipalities, Indigenous governments and organizations, and the social and private sectors to make a meaningful difference in the lives of Canadians.
• This investment supports the Saskatchewan Housing Strategy and Poverty Reduction Strategy goal of ensuring Saskatchewan people have affordable, safe, secure and stable housing, including those who may be rebuilding their lives.

Associated links:

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. For more information, please visit cmhc.ca or follow us on Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.

To find out more about the National Housing Strategy, visit www.placetocallhome.ca.

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 more than $770 million to develop or repair almost 16,000 housing units across our province. To learn more, visit www.saskatchewan.ca.

SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

Michael Brewster, Office of Minister Duclos, 613-220-5956, [email protected]; Leonard Catling, CMHC, 604-787-1787, [email protected]; Leya Moore, Saskatchewan Ministry of Social Services, 306-787-3610, [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca