The Governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador and the Robert’s Arm Interfaith Seniors Manor celebrated the official opening of four new two-bedroom supportive living units today. The non-profit seniors’ home which has been operating in Robert’s Arm, Notre Dame Bay for 25 years, has expanded for the second time to help individuals who require support to live independently in the community.
The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Paul Davis, Minister of Transportation and Works and Minister Responsible for Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation:
I rise to share with Honourable Members on this 22nd day of November, National Housing Day, how Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation’s (NLHC) accomplishments in 2012 continue to address the goals of the Provincial Social Housing Plan – Secure Foundations.
Mr. Speaker, NLHC has done magnificent work this past number of years. Our rental housing wait list is down 25 per cent over the past two years and the Provincial Government has increased and expanded program funding with the aim of making further gains in addressing social housing supply and demand.
We have completed the modernization of approximately 70 per cent of our 5,570 NLHC rental units, up from 30 per cent just five years ago.
We have tripled annual renovation and modernization funding for our housing units from $4 million to $12 million.
There has been a 25 per cent drop in maintenance calls over the past three years which is certainly indicative of the amount of work completed by NLHC’s skilled workers.
We have quadrupled the Supportive Living Program funding, which creates housing supports for persons with complex needs, from $1.2 million to $4.8 million.
We have doubled the Rent Supplement Program funding from $4 million to $8 million, and currently have 1,732 subsidized rental units in the private market to assist people with low incomes.
We have also doubled the Provincial Home Repair Program funding from $4 million to $8 million for a total of $12 million annually in federal-provincial funding to help people with low incomes make modifications and improvements, enabling them to remain in their homes.
In addition, Mr. Speaker, we have introduced very successful new programs such as the Provincial Homelessness Fund, which helps non-profits expand to provide services to individuals at risk of homelessness.
The Residential Energy Efficiency Program provides $4 million annually for energy efficiency retrofits, and our Educational Incentive Program for tenant families is one program that has supported the increase in the number of youth staying in school from 48 per cent four years ago to around 75 per cent today.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador can proudly say we are providing Secure Foundations, and we are continuing to provide more housing solutions for individuals and families in greatest need throughout our province.
A Federal and Provincial investment of $7.6 million into the Provincial Home Repair Program (PHRP) has made it possible for more than 2,000 low-income homeowners to renovate and repair their homes this past year. This investment has also helped to stimulate the economy and create jobs in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), and the Honourable Paul Davis, Minister Responsible for Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation (NLHC), made the announcement today.
“Our Government believes that all Canadians deserve a stable, safe and affordable place to call home,” said Minister Finley. “We are committed to helping deliver affordable housing solutions in partnership with the provinces and territories, to create jobs and economic growth.”
“The Provincial Home Repair Program is one of our most successful and longest-running programs,” said Minister Davis. “Over the past 35 years, PHRP has provided more than $324 million in loans and grants to approximately 50,000 low-income households throughout the province. Preserving the quality of affordable housing is a priority for this government, and this program plays a significant role in helping to sustain that quality.”
On August 16, 2011, the Governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador announced a combined investment of close to $41 million under the new Agreement for Investment in Affordable Housing 2011-2014. Following the signing of this agreement, the Provincial Government, through NLHC, extended PHRP for another three years.
The Provincial Government is investing an additional $6 million in PHRP over the next three years, for a total provincial investment of $18 million. This increases the total PHRP budget for program years 2011-2014 to $30 million. This investment directly supports the goals of the Social Housing Plan for Newfoundland and Labrador – Secure Foundations, released by the Provincial Government in August 2009, outlining a long-term vision for social housing. It is aimed at improving the housing circumstances of low-income households and helping create healthier communities.
The PHRP benefits more than 2,000 households annually. The average PHRP recipient is 66 years of age, a rural resident with a household income of approximately $18,200, and lives in a 45-year-old house. The types of repairs that can be undertaken with a PHRP loan or grant include upgrades to heating, electrical or plumbing systems, and renovations and retrofits to structures, foundations, windows, doors, roofing or siding. Applications are assessed in the order in which they are received and priority is given to emergency repairs. Applicants must be homeowners with annual incomes of $32,500 or less.
The Government of Canada, through CMHC, will invest approximately $2 billion in housing this year. Of this amount, $1.7 billion will be spent in support of almost 605,000 households living in existing social housing. In Newfoundland and Labrador, this represents some 12,250 households. These investments are improving the quality of life for low-income Canadians and households living in existing social housing, including individuals who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness, seniors, persons with disabilities, recent immigrants and Aboriginal people.
To find out more about how the Government of Canada and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation are working to build stronger homes and communities for all Canadians, call CMHC at 1-800-668-2642 or visit www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca
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Media contacts:
Jason Card
Director of Communications
Department of Transportation and Works
709-729-3015, 699-0470
jasoncard@gov.nl.ca
Jenny Bowring
Communications Manager
Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation
709-724-3055
jmbowring@nlhc.nl.ca
Marian Ngo
Special Assistant, Office of Minister Finley
819-994-2482
Caroline Arsenault
Principal, Communications and Marketing
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
902-426-8127
cmarsena@cmhc.ca
BACKGROUNDER
Provincial Home Repair Program Funding by Region
| Region | Number of Homeowners | Total |
| Rural Avalon | 561 | $2,195,246 |
| Metro St. John’s & Mount Pearl | 55 | $229,814 |
| Marystown | 139 | $498,398 |
| Happy Valley-Goose Bay | 35 | $122,834 |
| Gander | 233 | $836,762 |
| Grand Falls-Windsor | 387 | $1,397,242 |
| Corner Brook | 431 | $1,455,831 |
| Stephenville | 251 | $890,302 |
| All regions | 2,092 | $7,626,429 |
Today was an exciting day for two families in Paradise, as they joined Federal and Provincial Government partners for a construction site tour of their soon to be completed Habitat for Humanity homes. An investment of $170,000, equally cost-shared by the Federal and Provincial Governments through the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Agreement for Investments in Affordable Housing 2011-2014, was provided for the two homes. The funding is administered through Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation (NLHC).
“Our government is dedicated to working in partnership with organizations like Habitat for Humanity to create safe, affordable housing because that in turns supports healthy, sustainable communities all across Canada,” said the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). “I am delighted that the investments in Paradise will make a real difference in the lives of two families, creating homes that they can proudly call their own.”
“I am pleased to see this important build in Paradise, which will make the dream of home ownership a reality for two families,” said the Honourable Paul Davis, Minister Responsible for Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation. “The Provincial Government values its partnership with Habitat for Humanity, a tremendous organization that has been helping families access affordable housing for years, and is proud to have played a role in making this project a reality.”
By the end of 2012, the Federal and Provincial Governments will have contributed almost $1.2 million in funding to Habitat for Humanity homes for people with low-to-moderate incomes. Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation has also contributed land and or labour toward 41 Habitat for Humanity builds throughout the province, since 1994.
“We have built many Habitat for Humanity homes through much hard work and the generous support of our partners, however the greatest reward for all comes on the day our partner families get to move in and begin their new lives as homeowners,” said Raelene Lee, Chair of the Board of Directors of Habitat for Humanity Newfoundland and Labrador. “We at Habitat for Humanity Newfoundland and Labrador are excited about the future for these families and are inspired by the commitment of all partners and volunteers who have been involved in this, and each new build we accomplish.”
A key objective for the Provincial Government is to stimulate the development of affordable rental housing by the private, public and non-profit sectors. A priority is placed on developing rental housing for persons with disabilities, seniors and people who require supports to live independently in the community. This work is in keeping with A Social Housing Plan for Newfoundland and Labrador – Secure Foundations, released by the Provincial Government in August 2009, which outlines a long-term vision for social housing. It is aimed at improving the housing circumstances of people with low incomes and helping create healthier communities. A copy of the social housing plan is available at http://nlhc.nl.ca/documents/publications/ShpDocument2009.pdf.
The Government of Canada, through CMHC, will invest approximately $2 billion in housing this year. Of this amount, $1.7 billion will be spent in support of almost 605,000 households living in existing social housing. In Newfoundland and Labrador, this represents some 12,250 households. These investments are improving the quality of life for Canadians with low incomes and households living in existing social housing, including individuals who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness, seniors, persons with disabilities, recent immigrants, and Aboriginal people.
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.
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Media contacts:
Jason Card
Director of Communications
Department of Transportation and Works
709-729-3015, 699-0470
jasoncard@gov.nl.ca
Jenny Bowring
Communications Manager
Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation
709-724-3055
jmbowring@nlhc.nl.ca
Caroline Arsenault
Principal, Communications & Marketing
CMHC
902-426-8127
cmarsena@cmhc.ca
Raelene Lee,
Chair of the Board of Directors
Habitat for Humanity Newfoundland and Labrador
709-570-7322
rlee@ottenheimerbaker.com