NEW AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING OPENS IN BRIDGE RIVER

BRIDGE RIVER, BC, March 22, 2023 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, Taleeb Noormohamed, Member of Parliament for Vancouver Granville, and Xwísten First Nation announced federal funding of $1.6 million through the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) Project Stream that will support five new units for members of Xwísten First Nation in Bridge River, BC.

The fiveplex, located at 130 Poshpel Road, will provide safe and affordable housing to people who are at-risk or experiencing homelessness. Construction is complete and residents have moved into their new homes.

The RHI, delivered by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) as part of the National Housing Strategy (NHS), provides capital contributions to develop new, permanent affordable housing. It covers costs associated with the construction of modular multi-unit rentals, the conversion of non-residential to affordable multi-residential homes, and the rehabilitation of buildings in disrepair and/or abandoned into affordable multi-residential homes. These investments made under the RHI are expected to support thousands of construction-related jobs for Canadians from coast to coast to coast.

Quotes:

"Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. This investment on Xwísten First Nation will bring much needed relief to vulnerable and at-risk individuals and families by providing new safe and affordable rental homes, while addressing the unique barriers faced by First Nations communities in British Columbia. Through the National Housing Strategy, our government is working with Indigenous partners to ensure that Indigenous communities have access to housing that meets their needs from coast to coast to coast." – The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion

"Improving Indigenous housing outcomes is a priority for the Government of Canada. That is why we are working with Indigenous partners to build rapid housing in British Columbia and across the country. The Rapid Housing Initiative provides immediate support to create safe and stable housing. Our government's National Housing Strategy is providing results every day, to help build a housing system that is more equitable and truly for all Canadians." – Taleeb Noormohamed, Member of Parliament for Vancouver Granville

Quick facts:

• The Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) provides capital contributions to facilitate the rapid construction of new housing and/or acquisition of existing buildings for the purpose of rehabilitation or conversion to permanent affordable, supportive, or transitional housing. The objective is to quickly create new permanent affordable housing units that support people who are vulnerable and prioritized under the National Housing Strategy.
• Through Budget 2022, the Government of Canada is investing an additional $1.5 billion over two years, starting in 2022-23 to extend the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) which is expected to create up to 4,500 new affordable housing units, with at least 25 per cent of funding going towards women-focused housing projects. This initiative was originally announced on September 21, 2020, with a budget of $1 billion. Round 2 was announced June 30, 2021, with a budget of $1.5 billion. Round 3 was announced on November 10, 2022. The Government of Canada's additional investment of $1.5 billion through RHI, brings the program's total to $4 billion to support the country's most vulnerable.
• The Government of Canada's 2022 budget announced an additional investment of $1.5 billion for a third round of the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI). This new funding will create up to 4,500 new affordable housing units, with at least 25 per cent of funding going towards women-focused projects. This brings the total investment in RHI to $4 billion, which will yield nearly 15,000 homes in total for people who need them most in this country.
• 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.

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, please visit cmhc.ca or follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.
• To find out more about the National Housing Strategy, please visit www.placetocallhome.ca.

SOURCE Government of Canada

Brittany Hendrych, Office of the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, [email protected]; Media Relations, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, [email protected]