The Governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador today announced that $12.2 million in renovation and retrofit work on 822 Newfoundland Labrador Housing units as well as co-op and non-profit housing properties on the Avalon and Burin Peninsulas is making a significant difference to these homes.
The funding was made available through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, which is a federal plan to stimulate the economy and create jobs during the global recession. Overall, the Economic Action Plan includes $2 billion for new and existing social housing, plus up to $2 billion in loans to municipalities for housing-related infrastructure. The Federal and Provincial Governments are contributing equally to this overall investment of $58 million under the amended Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Affordable Housing Program Agreement.
The Government of Canada wants to improve the quality of existing social housing for low-income seniors, single-parent families, recent immigrants and Aboriginal households. Canada’s Economic Action Plan provides $850 million under the Affordable Housing Initiative to provinces and territories for the renovation and retrofit of existing social housing.
The funding is being used for items such as the replacement of roofing, siding, windows and doors, and a complete retrofit of the interior, which can include the replacement of flooring, drywall, doors, kitchen and bathroom cupboards, flooring, counters and fixtures such as tubs, sinks and showers. The investment will significantly extend the life of these structures for future use.
As part of Budget 2010: The Right Investments – For Our Children and Our Future, the Provincial Government is investing $27 million for housing infrastructure projects, affordable housing and increased maintenance funding over the coming fiscal year. This renovation and retrofit work is also in keeping with the goals of the Provincial Government’s Social Housing Plan for Newfoundland and Labrador – Secure Foundations, which outlines a new long-term vision for social housing aimed at improving the housing circumstances of lower-income households and helping to create healthier communities. A copy of the social housing plan is available at SocialHousingPlan-2009Report.pdf.
Honourable Fabian Manning, Senator for Newfoundland and Labrador, 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 the Honourable Tom Hedderson, Minister of Transportation and Works and Minister Responsible for Newfoundland Labrador Housing made the announcement today.
“Through year two of Canada’s Economic Action Plan, our Government remains committed to giving a hand-up to those who need it most here in Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Senator Manning. “That’s why we are proud to have invested in the renovation and retrofit of these units, which will go a long way to providing safe, affordable homes for years to come.”
“Investing in our social housing infrastructure is a priority of the Williams Government and is part of our new long-term vision for social housing throughout the province,” said Minister Hedderson. “This renovation and retrofit work increases the longevity and energy efficiency of our existing housing portfolio and enables us to continue making more affordable social housing options available for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians as our government works towards its ultimate goal of eliminating poverty throughout the province.”
Canada’s Economic Action Plan builds on the Government of Canada’s commitment in 2008 of more than $1.9 billion, over five years, to improve and build new affordable housing and help the homeless.
More information on this and other measures in Canada’s Economic Action Plan, the federal government’s plan to stimulate the economy and protect those hit hardest by the global recession, can be found at: www.actionplan.gc.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.ca/housingactionplan.
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Media contacts:
Blair Medd
Communications Specialist
Department of Transportation and Works
709-729-1758, 631-8465
blairmedd@gov.nl.ca
Jenny Bowring
Communications Manager
Newfoundland Labrador Housing
709-724-3055
jmbowring@nlhc.nl.ca
Michelle Bakos
Press Secretary, Office of Minister Finley
819-994-2482
michelle.bakos@hrsdc-rhdsc.gc.ca
Giselle Thibault
Communications and Marketing Consultant
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
902-426-8320, 222-2949
BACKGROUNDER
Newfoundland and Labrador – Renovation and Retrofit Projects Avalon and Burin Regions
CBH = Community Based Housing NLH = NL Housing (Public)
| Project Name | Community | Units | Total Funding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apollo – CBH | Mount Pearl | 26 | $200,000 |
| Barbour Manors – CBH | Mount Pearl | 12 | $154,000 |
| Cabot -CBH | Mount Pearl | 6 | $150,000 |
| Canadian Paraplegic Association -CBH | St. John’s | 26 | 279,000 |
| Cape Shore Seniors -CBH | Branch | 14 | $65,800 |
| Charwood Legion Manor -CBH | Carbonear | 28 | $103,950 |
| City of St. John’s -CBH | St. John’s | 118 | $2,848,500 |
| Columbus Centre Inc. – CBH | Mount Pearl | 12 | $58,224 |
| Freedom – CBH | Mount Pearl | 4 | $20,000 |
| Future – CBH | St. John’s | 2 | $55,000 |
| Glenbrook Villa – CBH | Torbay | 20 | $52,000 |
| Golden Years Manor – CBH | Heart’s Delight | 12 | $83,444 |
| Green Mountain Lodge – CBH | Normans Cove | 12 | $132,000 |
| Kilbride – CBH | St. John’s | 6 | $25,000 |
| Lions Manor – Phases I and III – CBH | Carbonear | 30 | $127,000 |
| Masonic Park Senior Citizens Complex – CBH | Mount Pearl | 12 | $180,942 |
| Baie Verte St – NLH | St. John’s | 7 | $196,000 |
| Barachois St – NLH | St. John’s | 10 | $185,850 |
| Blackmarsh Rd – NLH | St. John’s | 14 | $392,000 |
| Chaulker Pl – NLH | St. John’s | 20 | $560,000 |
| Chaulker Pl, Crosbie Rd, Portia Pl – NHL | St. John’s | 26 | $217,672 |
| Crosbie Rd – NLH | St. John’s | 20 | $560,000 |
| Easton Pl – NLH | Mount Pearl | 4 | $112,000 |
| Greenwood Crescent – NLH | Mount Pearl | 14 | $392,000 |
| St. Clare Ave – NLH | St. John’s | 1 | $28,000 |
| The Courts-Copperthwaite Crt – NLH | St. John’s | 21 | $588,000 |
| The Courts-Mitchell Crt – NLH | St. John’s | 19 | $532,000 |
| Placentia, Bell Island, Holyrood, Witless bay, South River, Spainard’s Bay, Trepassey, Brownsdale, Salmon Cove, Victoria, Harbour Grace – NLH |
Various Communities | 33 | $300,000 |
| Wigmore Crt – NLH | St. John’s | 31 | $290,850 |
| Northwest Rotary – CBH | St. John’s | 46 | $429,500 |
| Odessey – CBH | St. John’s | 8 | $90,000 |
| Pearlgate – CBH | Mount Pearl | 16 | $50,000 |
| Pentecostal Assemblies of Newfoundland – CBH | St. John’s | 12 | $335,992 |
| Powerflip – CBH | St. John’s | 6 | $43,800 |
| S.O.D. Housing Co-Operative Ltd. – CBH | St. John’s | 7 | $68,000 |
| Shea Heights NIA – CBH | St. John’s | 12 | $158,800 |
| SPAN Community Housing – CBH | Mount Pearl | 12 | $97,922 |
| St. Mary’s Bay Seniors – CBH | Salmonier | 8 | $31,000 |
| Trinity Conception Regional Health Board – CBH | Carbonear | 8 | $10,000 |
| Torbay Kinsmen Seniors – CBH | Torbay | 10 | $123,230 |
| Viking – CBH | Mount Pearl | 6 | $33,000 |
| Whitbourne Legion Homes – CBH | Whitbourne | 12 | $102,758 |
| Whiteley Drive – CBH | Mount Pearl | 10 | $50,000 |
| Garnish Local Care Association – CBH | Garnish | 8 | $46,036 |
| Atlantic Crescent – NLH | Marystown | 10 | $186,160 |
| Brunette Ave – NLH | Fortune | 8 | $31,574 |
| Prospero Place – NLH | Mount Pearl | 4 | $112,000 |
| Spruce Ave. – NLH | Mount Pearl | 12 | $336,000 |
| Greenwood Cres. -NLH | Mount Pearl | 12 | $336,000 |
| Beothuck Cres. – NLH | St. John’s | 6 | $168,000 |
| Smallwood Cres. – NLH | Marystown | 21 | $254,940 |
| Keel/Spar Cres. – NLH | Burin | 8 | $224,000 |
| Total | 822 | $12,207,944.00 |