Kitchener – The Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario announced an investment of over $46 million to support the construction of 267 new affordable housing units across Ontario. Over $30 million is from the Government of Canada and over $15 million is from the Province of Ontario.
Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, was joined by Bardish Chagger, Member of Parliament for Waterloo, Tim Louis, Member of Parliament for Kitchener-Conestoga, Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing for Ontario, Brian Riddell, Ontario Member of Provincial Parliament for Cambridge, Jess Dixon, Ontario Member of Provincial Parliament for Kitchener South-Hespeler, and Mike Harris, Ontario Member of Provincial Parliament for Kitchener-Conestoga, for the announcement.
This important funding is being provided through the Canada–Ontario Community Housing Initiative (COCHI) – an initiative of the Canada-Ontario Bilateral Agreement under the National Housing Strategy (NHS).
The Canada-Ontario Community Housing Initiative (COCHI) provides funding to repair, regenerate and expand community housing so tenants can live in a home that is affordable. It can also be used to support community housing providers whose original program arrangements are expiring and help them to become more sustainable.
The announcement took place at Indwell’s St. Peter’s Supportive Housing project, located at 49 Queen Street North in Kitchener, which is receiving $5.5 million in funding as part of today’s announcement. The project consists of redeveloping an existing classroom wing into 41 sustainable, affordable, and supportive apartments. It will prioritize people on Waterloo Region’s centralized waiting list, and support those with the greatest need for affordability, and desire to live in a community with support services. The redevelopment will preserve historic architecture, enhance the local streetscape, and offer tenants a home in one of Kitchener’s most well-connected neighbourhoods.
In total, twelve projects are receiving funding through COCHI. These projects will provide a diverse mix of unit sizes and varying levels of affordability to meet the unique needs of Ontario’s communities. Project-specific details will be announced locally in the coming weeks.
“Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. That’s why we‘re creating hundreds of new affordable housing units across Ontario, providing hundreds of individuals and families with access to affordable homes that meet their needs. By investing in affordable housing, we’re creating communities that Canadians can feel proud to call home, communities where they’ll prosper and thrive. This is one of the many ways the National Housing Strategy continues to ensure no one is left behind” – Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion