Niagara: Funding of more than $10.5 million has been announced to support the creation of an estimated 41 new affordable homes for individuals and families in Niagara Region through the Cities Stream under expanded Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI).
These housing units will support Canadians who are in uncertain housing situations, experiencing or at risk of homelessness, or living in temporary shelters because of the pandemic.
The announcement was made by Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), Vance Badawey, Member of Parliament for Niagara Centre, Chris Bittle, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Member of Parliament for St. Catharines, Jim Bradley, Regional Chair of the Niagara Region, and Walter Sendzik, Mayor of St. Catharines and Niagara Regional Housing Board Chair In its initial round, with funding of $1 billion announced in October 2020, the RHI exceeded its original target of 3,000 permanent affordable housing units and achieved 4,700 units nationally.
Due to this success, an additional $1.5 billion for the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) was recently announced to create 4,500 new units of permanent affordable housing across the country.
Thanks to this expansion, this initiative will now create over 9,200 affordable homes for the most vulnerable Canadians across the country.
This new investment is exoected to create thousands of good jobs in the housing and construction sector, grow the middle class, and build back stronger communities, while getting us closer to our goal of eliminating chronic homelessness Ahmed Hussen said: “This funding through the Cities Stream of the expanded Rapid Housing Initiative will go a long way to support those who need it most by quickly providing an estimated 41 new affordable homes for vulnerable individuals and families in Niagara Region to keep them safe. This is one of the ways our National Housing Strategy continues to ensure no one is left behind.”
Chris Bittle added: “With today’s investment, our government stepping up to support communities across Niagara Region through the Rapid Housing Initiative, to quickly build new homes for those who need them most. Everyone deserves to have place to call home, a place of sanctuary and refuge. That’s what this funding is all about.”