Social Housing Spending

Oliver Langdon, minister responsible for Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation (NLHC), today announced government�s continued support for social housing throughout the province. In 2001-2002, NLHC will spend approximately $96.2 million on program activities and operation of the existing portfolio for social housing. These programs, cost-shared on a 75/25 basis with the federal government, provide effective, efficient and integrated responses to meet the social housing needs of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Over the coming year, the corporation will spend $85.3 million to help individuals and families access, adequate, suitable and affordable housing. NLHC owns and operates approximately 7,000 non-profit social housing units throughout the province, providing affordable rental housing to about 18,000 people. In keeping with government�s focus of assisting those most in need, all NLHC rental rates are based on income. The corporation will also provide assistance to non-profit community groups to assist another 4,200 households and accomodate more than 8,300 people.

"Decent and affordable housing is the key to providing a stable base for families and individuals to grow and develop and eventually achieve their optimum potential in life," said the minister.

In addition to social housing subsidies, NLHC will spend another $10.9 million to continue the delivery of its Provincial Home Repair Program which addresses the housing repair needs of low-income homeowners. The minister noted that total funding includes the allocation of $7.9 million in the form of grants and the remaining $3 million is available for repayable loans.

NLHC will continue to work with communities, housing committees and other agencies to deliver additional housing and renovation funding to the communities of Nain, Hopedale, Makkovik, Rigolet and Postville, as part of government�s ongoing three-year Northern Coastal Labrador Strategic Initiative. Over the remaining two years of this program, another $5.1 million will be invested in housing above and beyond the social housing programs noted above.

Media contact: Sean Kelly, Communications, (709) 729-1983.

2001 03 22            4:30 p.m.