The Government of Canada wants to improve the quality
of existing social housing for low-income seniors, single-parent
families, recent immigrants and Aboriginal households. Canada's Economic
Action Plan provides $850 million under the Affordable Housing
Initiative to provinces and territories for the renovation and retrofit
of existing social housing.
The funding is being used for the replacement of
exterior components such as roofing, siding, windows and doors, and
interior components such as flooring, drywall, doors, kitchen and
bathroom cupboards, counters and fixtures such as tubs, sinks and
showers. The investment will significantly extend the life of these
structures.
As part of Budget 2010:
The Right Investments — For
Our Children and Our Future
, the Provincial Government is investing
$27 million for housing infrastructure projects, affordable housing and
increased maintenance funding over the coming fiscal year. This
renovation and retrofit 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.
A copy of the social housing plan is available at
www.nlhc.nl.ca/SocialHsingPlan/report.pdf
.
The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National
Defence, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human
Resources and Skills Development and Minister Responsible for Canada
Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC); and the Honourable Tom
Hedderson, Minister of Transportation and Works and Minister Responsible
for the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation, made the
announcement today.
"In its second year, our government's Economic Action
Plan is stimulating the economy and creating jobs during the global
recession here in Newfoundland and Labrador and across Canada," said
Minister MacKay. "Renovation projects like these are a good way to get
the local economy moving and put construction workers and tradespeople
to work quickly. Most importantly, they are giving a hand-up to those
who need it most, by improving the quality of social housing."
"We are very pleased with the 1,600 units on which we
have completed renovation work during this past year alone," said
Minister Hedderson. "We are looking forward to seeing more progress
during the remainder of this construction season and into 2011. This
renovation and retrofit work in the Burin and West Coast regions of our
province is increasing the life span of our existing housing portfolio
and enabling us to move our housing agenda forward in line with the
goals laid out in our provincial social housing plan."
Canada's Economic Action Plan builds on the Government
of Canada's commitment in 2008 of more than $1.9 billion, over five
years, to improve and build new affordable housing and help the
homeless.
More information on this and other measures in
Canada's Economic Action Plan, the Federal Government's plan to
stimulate the economy and protect those hit hardest by the global
recession, can be found at: www.actionplan.gc.ca.
To find out more about how the Government of Canada
and CMHC are working to build stronger homes and communities for all
Canadians, call CMHC at 1-800-668-2642 or visit
www.cmhc.ca/housingactionplan.
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