Canada and Ontario Provide New Affordable Housing for Individuals and Families Across Northumberland County

Press Release

July 23, 2020

Cobourg, ON —The governments of Canada and Ontario are committing over $5.7 million to build 28 community housing units in Cobourg, providing homes for individuals and families across Northumberland County. The funding will be delivered through the Canada-Ontario Community Housing Initiative (COCHI).

Adam Vaughan, Member of Parliament for Spadina-Fort York and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, on behalf of the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), along with the Honourable Steve Clark, Ontario’s Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, made the announcement today.

The announcement took place at the proposed site for the Elgin Park redevelopment on Elgin Street East in Cobourg. The site currently hosts nine semi-detached buildings, with 18 community housing units. The new complex will have four two-storey buildings with a total of 40 units, creating 22 new homes. The redevelopment will include a shared green space with a playground and recreational area for families, plus a common building with a large programming room, universal washroom, kitchenette and office space for private meetings between tenants and staff and/or community agencies. The COCHI program will fund 28 of the new units, all of which will be affordable, rent-geared-to-income housing.

Quotes:

“Home is a place of safety and refuge. Our government is dedicated to housing more Canadians which is why we are proud to have invested in this development in Cobourg. These new units are more than just safe and affordable places to live, they are key to a better life for the residents who call them home.” – Adam Vaughan, Member of Parliament for Spadina-Fort York and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

“Supporting the Elgin Park redevelopment project is one way our government is working to make our community housing system more efficient and sustainable, and to ensure that people can access the affordable housing and supports they need today, and in the years to come.” – Steve Clark, Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing

“The Elgin Park redevelopment project is an important part of the solution to help build more homes that are truly affordable in Northumberland, something my community greatly needs and a project I strongly support. I am thrilled to celebrate this new community housing complex that will double the number of homes available for families on Elgin Street and increase the diversity of the overall housing supply in our community.” – David Piccini, MPP Northumberland—Peterborough South

Quick Facts

• The redevelopment will include a mix of multi-bedroom and one-bedroom units to help address the needs of low-income earners and families across Northumberland County, as well as people with accessibility needs. At least 20 per cent of the units will be accessible, and all other ground floor units will be designed to be easily retrofitted into fully accessible units if needed in the future.
• The Government of Canada is currently rolling out its National Housing Strategy (NHS)—an ambitious 10-year, $40 billion plan that will create 100,000 new housing units and lift 530,000 families out of housing need as well as repair and renew more than 300,000 housing units and reduce chronic homelessness by 50 per cent.
• As part of the Community Housing Renewal Strategy, the Province is investing nearly $1 billion in 2020-21, which will help sustain, repair and grow community housing and help end homelessness in Ontario.
• Ontario has announced $350 million in funding to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and keep vulnerable people safe. This includes funding to local service managers and Indigenous program administrators who were given the flexibility to expand the key services they already offer to meet their local needs, including supporting people having a hard time paying rent.

Additional Resources

• 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, please visit cmhc.ca or follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.
• Ontario is committed to increasing housing supply across the province, while getting the best value for taxpayers. Cutting red tape will bring housing to market faster – leading to lower housing costs and helping people keep more of their hard-earned dollars. For more information on affordable housing in Ontario, visit ontario.ca/affordablehousing or follow us on Twitter.
• To find out more about the National Housing Strategy, visit www.placetocallhome.ca.

Media Contacts

Jessica Eritou
Office of the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development
jessica.eritou@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

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

Julie O’Driscoll
Minister’s Office, Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
julie.o’driscoll@ontario.ca

Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
mma.media@ontario.ca

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