374 Affordable Housing in Ottawa Released

The Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario, and the City of Ottawa held a dedication ceremony today to celebrate seven affordable housing projects that will create 374 units of affordable housing across the City of Ottawa under the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program.

Member of Parliament for Ottawa-Orléans Royal Galipeau on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development; MPP for Ottawa West-Nepean, Jim Watson, on behalf of the Honourable John Gerretsen, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing; and Mayor of the City of Ottawa Bob Chiarelli attended the ceremony.

Canada's new Government is proud to be working with our partners at all levels of government and in the private sector to provide safe, affordable housing in Ottawa for those who need it most.

The McGuinty government is committed to providing affordable housing to those who need it most. We are on the side of Ontario's most vulnerable. That's why we are pleased to partner with municipalities like Ottawa to improving the availability and affordability of housing across the province.

The seven projects totalling more than $56 million including more than $15 million from the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing program and over $1.1 million from the
Supporting Communities Partnership Initiative (SCPI) will provide:

• 83 units for lower income families and single persons at 750 March Road, sponsored by Blue Heron Co-operative Homes Inc.
• 63 units (including wheelchair accessible units) for lower income families and single persons at 155 and 343 Parkin Circle, sponsored by McLean Cooperative Homes.
• 62 units (including wheelchair accessible units) for lower income families, single persons and individuals with multiple disabilities at 43 Meridian Place, sponsored by Nepean Housing Corporation.
• 60 units (including wheelchair accessible units) for lower income families and single persons at 380 Somerset St. West, sponsored by Ottawa Community Housing.
• 40 units (including wheelchair accessible units) for lower income individuals at 309 Athlone Avenue, sponsored by Ottawa Salus Corporation.
• 36 units (including wheelchair accessible units) for lower income families and single persons at 1067 and 1071 Cummings Avenue, sponsored by Gloucester Non-Profit Housing Corporation
• 30 units for lower income families and single persons at 345 Clarence Street, sponsored by Quex Property Corporation.

Housing and homelessness for each of our citizens affects the quality of life for all of us. The City of Ottawa will continue to work in partnership with the community and with developers to remove barriers in order to leverage more resources to build more homes. Ottawa will continue to pursue innovative partnerships and relationships that will lead to the construction of more affordable housing units. We will continue to work to ensure that all of our citizens can have decent, safe and affordable places to live and prosper.

Today, clearly demonstrates the leadership and determination of Ottawa's non-profit
and private sector housing agencies. These seven agencies have worked hard with the community and three levels of government to build 374 homes for Ottawa's low-income individuals and families.

Today's federal and provincial allocation will be complemented by more than $14.8 million in municipal financial incentives.

The new federal-provincial agreement, signed on April 29, 2005, comprises a commitment of $301 million from each of the two levels of government. With this commitment, the federal, provincial and municipal governments will have invested $734 million over the life of the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program Agreement, to assist some 20,000 Ontario households.