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Transportation and Works
April 9, 2009

The following is being distributed at the request of the Newfoundland Labrador Housing:

Sod-Turning Marks Start of Cabot Habitat and
Newfoundland Labrador Housing Build

The Honourable Trevor Taylor, Minister Responsible for Housing and Minister of Transportation and Works, offered his congratulations today to Cabot Habitat on its sod turning for the construction of a new accessible Cabot Habitat Home on Eastaff Street, St. John�s. The event marked the official beginning of site work in preparation for the build.

"While Housing has long been a partner with Cabot Habitat, this year�s build is particularly special as the hope is to construct a Cabot Habitat house from the ground up entirely with Newfoundland Labrador Housing employees," said Minister Taylor. "I�m looking forward to lending a hand at the official first weekend of the build on May 9."

With a staff complement of nearly 400 province-wide, Housing has a significant skilled labour force of plumbers, electricians, carpenters, plasterers and painters, along with a vast number of very willing volunteers who are ready to make this happen. The official build is scheduled to begin on Saturday, May 9, and the plan is to turn the keys over and have the sponsor family living in their fully accessible home by the last weekend in June. This Cabot Habitat build will also receive $60,000 in assistance from the federal Housing Trust Funds.

Newfoundland Labrador Housing has been a partner with Cabot Habitat since 1994. Of the 31 families who have received Cabot Habitat homes in the province so far, 18 families were chosen while they were Housing tenants. In addition, over the years Housing has donated land for approximately 11 homes throughout St. Johns�/Mount Pearl metro area. In the past, Housing has provided Habitat with expertise in the area of land development and housing, volunteers for the Habitat board, meeting facilities for the first several years of Habitat�s existent and skilled volunteer labour during the builds each year.

Cabot Habitat for Humanity believes in a world where everyone has a safe and decent place to live. In Canada, approximately 1.7 million families live without adequate or affordable housing. Around the world, over one billion people live in the streets or in poverty housing. Cabot Habitat believes in trying to break the cycle of poverty by mobilizing volunteers and community partners to build affordable housing and promote homeownership.

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Media contacts:

David Salter
Director of Communications
Department of Transportation and Works
709-729-3015, 699-7903
davidsalter@gov.nl.ca
Jenny Bowring
Communications Manager
Newfoundland Labrador Housing
709-724-3055
jmbowring@nlhc.nl.ca
Kevin Dormody
Chair, Public Relations
Cabot Habitat
709-722-4156
kfdormody@.nf.sympatico.ca
 

2009 04 09                                                    12:30 p.m.
 


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