The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Tom Hedderson, Minister of Transportation and Works and Minister Responsible for Newfoundland Labrador Housing:

Housing Pilot Project Addresses Increased Demand for Smaller Homes

As Minister Responsible for Newfoundland Labrador Housing, I rise in this Honourable House today to advise members and the public of very positive news in the area of social housing. I have the pleasure of announcing today a new and progressive pilot project to better meet the increased demand for smaller social housing units, a trend we are seeing throughout the province.

This pilot project is being made possible through a $1 million research and development investment by the Provincial Government to assess and identify potential solutions for social housing needs.

At present, 86 per cent of applicants for housing are in need of one and two-bedroom homes. However, Newfoundland Labrador Housing's portfolio, originally designed to meet the demographic needs of the 1960s and 1970s, consists primarily of three, four and five-bedroom units. The current reality is that our homes are no longer suitable for the majority of applicants on our waiting list.

Pine Martin Adventures Inc. of Corner Brook has been awarded a $300,000 contract to reconfigure two three-bedroom units on Wheeler's Road into three smaller homes this summer. The reconfiguration will include one fully-accessible two bedroom apartment on the main floor and two one-bedroom apartments on the upper level. A second reconfiguration project in St. John's expected to be awarded later this summer

The focus of reconfiguration is to be able to use existing housing more effectively to address changing demographic needs. We see this pilot project as an opportunity to evaluate the future economic feasibility of such projects. Such projects also move our social housing portfolio into position to meet the needs of future generations. I cannot express how thankful we are that the cities of Corner Brook and St. John's are supporting reconfiguration as they too plan for the future housing needs of their citizens.

This reconfiguration work is also in keeping with the goals of the Provincial Government's Social Housing Plan for Newfoundland and Labrador — Secure Foundations, which outlines a new long-term vision for social housing aimed at improving the housing circumstances of lower-income households and helping to create healthier communities.

As this project indicates, our government is very open to exploring new options that will further assist us in addressing the need for affordable housing throughout our province.

2010 06 17                                                1:45 p.m.