Governments of Canada and Ontario celebrate affordable housing in Durham Region

Press Release

OSHAWA, ON, March 23, 2018 — More families, seniors and Indigenous peoples in Durham Region will now have a place to call home. The federal and provincial governments are investing over $44 million to create more than 358 affordable housing units in the area.

Celina Caesar-Chavannes, Member of Parliament for Whitby, on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), along with Granville Anderson, Member of Provincial Parliament for Durham, on behalf of the Honourable Peter Milczyn, Ontario’s Minister of Housing and Minister Responsible for the Poverty Reduction Strategy, spoke at the event. Dan Carter, Regional Councillor and President of Durham Region Non-Profit Housing Corporation, on behalf of Roger Anderson, Regional Chair and Chief Executive Officer for Durham Region also participated.

The announcement took place at an official opening for Ritson Residence, at 1658 Ritson Road North in Oshawa, which provides 75 affordable apartments, including 29 accessible units, for seniors and people living with disabilities. The Investment in Affordable Housing (IAH) program funded 62 units.

Quick facts:

• Ritson Residence was built in partnership with Mahogany Management and received over $6.7 million in funding from the governments of Canada and Ontario through the Investment in Affordable Housing agreement.
• Seven more affordable housing developments in Beaverton, Bowmanville, Cannington, Oshawa and Whitby were also celebrated at the event.
• The Governments of Canada and Ontario have partnered together to deliver the IAH program since 2011. Under the IAH, Ontario and the federal government are investing a total of $1.9 billion.

Quotes:

“Our Government is investing in affordable housing here in Durham and across Canada to help improve the quality of life for those who need it most. Secure housing provides the basic building block for better health, access to sustainable employment and, most importantly, peace of mind. With our partners, we are providing a helping hand for individuals and families in need, and in doing so, we are contributing to the economic and social well-being of the entire community.”
— Celina Caesar-Chavannes, Member of Parliament for Whitby

“Housing is the foundation upon which people build their lives. Over the past four years, I have listened to my constituents express their concerns about housing affordability, and I am thrilled to make this important announcement today. Our investments in stable and affordable housing in the Durham Region create a strong future for our community, and help more families prosper.”
— Granville Anderson, Member of Provincial Parliament for Durham

“Today, we celebrate affordable housing in Durham Region. We welcome the continued funding commitment from our provincial and federal partners. It is a positive step forward in helping to address the needs of low- to moderate-income residents in our region, and we look forward to working more closely with the senior levels of government in the future. An investment in affordable housing benefits everyone, and builds strong and vibrant communities for years to come.”
— Roger Anderson, Regional Chair and Chief Executive Officer for Durham Region

“We would like to thank the Government of Canada, Province of Ontario and Durham Region for their ongoing support in turning the dream of Ritson Residence into quality affordable housing for our residents.”
— Tim Neeb, President of Mahogany Management

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, follow us on Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.
• Investing in affordable housing is part of Ontario’s plan to create fairness and opportunity during this period of rapid economic change. Since 2003, the province has committed more than $5 billion in funding for affordable housing, which has helped support more than 22,000 new affordable rental housing units, more than 335,000 repairs and improvements to social and affordable housing units and rental and down payment assistance to more than 93,000 households in need. These investments complement the commitments made through Ontario’s recent Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy update, and support the province’s goal of ending chronic homelessness by 2025. For more information on affordable housing in Ontario, visit ontario.ca/affordablehousing or follow us on Twitter.
• Canada’s first ever National Housing Strategy is a 10-year, $40-billion plan that will give more Canadians a place to call home. Under the National Housing Strategy, the federal government will recognize and progressively implement every Canadian’s right to access housing that meets their needs and that they can afford. For more information on the National Housing Strategy visit www.placetocallhome.ca.

Media contacts:

Émilie Gauduchon
Press Secretary
Office of Minister Duclos
819-654-5546
emilie.gauduchon@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

Wilbur McLean
Public Affairs
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
416-218-3331
wmclean@cmhc-schl.gc.ca

George Mason
Press Secretary
Office of Minister Milczyn
416-219-7616
george.mason@ontario.ca

Praveen Senthinathan
Communications
Ministry of Housing
416-585-7066
MHO.media@ontario.ca

Backgrounder

New affordable rental housing projects in Durham Region

Eight projects will provide affordable housing for individuals and families in Durham Region.

ILR4