Renovations at purpose built accessibile rental buidling made possible with help from Government of Canada

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

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

VANCOUVER, April 16, 2019 /CNW/ - Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. That is why in May 2018 the Government of Canada launched the National Housing Co-Investment Fund (NHCF), the largest program of its kind in Canadian history.

Today in Vancouver, Adam Vaughan, Member of Parliament for Spadina–Fort York, on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), announced a federal government financial commitment of over $1.33 million for the repair and renovation of Kelly Court, a 45-unit purpose built rental building targeted towards persons with disabilities and their families.

This comprehensive exterior renewal project includes repairing and updating the roof, windows and cladding, balconies and landscaping. Since work activies are related to the exterior envelope of the building, tenants will not be displaced.

Kelly Court is owned and operated by Metro Vancouver Housing Corporation, a non-profit organization that provides safe and affordable rental homes to more than 9,000 people at 49 sites across the Metro Vancouver region. Sites are diverse, mixed-income communities that include families, seniors, and people with disabilities.

Today's announcement builds on the work that the Government of Canada has done to support Canadians with disablities. Bill C-81, the proposed Accessible Canada Act, currently making its way through the Senate, is another concrete step that the Government of Canada is taking to break down barriers to accessibility. This proposed piece of legislation is meant to promote broad organizational and cultural change across Canada, while proactively identifying, removing and preventing barriers to the realization of a truly accessible Canada.

Quotes:

"Funding renovation and retrofit projects like Kelly Court is a great way to get the local economy moving, because it puts construction workers and tradespeople to work quickly. At the same time we're improving the quality of life for residents, and in this case, persons with physical disabilites and their families, which is one of the core groups targeted by the National Housing Co-Investment Fund. I'm thrilled to be a part of projects like this that help build healthy and engaged communites." – Adam Vaughan, Member of Parliament for Spadina–Fort York

"We are pleased to receive CMHC's financial contribution toward the rehabilitation of the Kelly Court housing site, a unique property in Metro Vancouver providing fully-accessible homes for those with mobility challenges. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with the federal government to jointly fund a greater supply of safe, affordable rental units for residents in the region." – Sav Dhaliwal, Chair, Metro Vancouver Housing Corporation

Quick facts:

• Kelly Court is a purpose-built accessilble building and includes one elevator and two ramps for fire egress that extend to all three floors. All homes are accessible and common areas are completely barrier-free.
• All units are rent-geared-to-income (RGI) eligible. Currently this represents 80% of the homes at Kelly Court. Metro Vancouver Housing Corporation is committed to maintaining at least 50% of the units at RGI rates to ensure affordability as per NHCF requirements.
• Through the NHCF, the Government of Canada will work with partners to build up to 60,000 new affordable homes and repair up to 240,000 existing affordable and community homes over the next 10 years.
• Investments are also planned in the NHCF to create or repair at least 4,000 shelter spaces for victims of family violence and create at least 7,000 new affordable housing units for seniors and 2,400 new affordable housing units for people with developmental disabilities.
• Under the Investing in Canada plan, the Government of Canada is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada's rural and northern communities.

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, visit our website or follow us on Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
• To find out more about the National Housing Strategy, visit www.placetocallhome.ca.
• To find out more about Metro Vancouver Housing Corporation, visit http://www.metrovancouver.org

SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

Valérie Glazer, Press secretary, Office of the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, 613-220-1841, [email protected]; Gabriel Teo, Public Affairs, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, 604-737-4137, [email protected]

Related Links

www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca