Canada supports more than 380 housing units across Ontario

Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, January 9, 2023

Today the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, alongside Terry Sheehan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour and Member of Parliament Sault Ste. Marie, Ross Romano, Member of Provincial Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie, Mayor Matthew Shoemaker, Justin Marchand, Chief Executive Officer, Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services, and Helen Stewart, President, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 25 – Sault Ste. Marie, announced a combined investment of nearly $132 million to support the construction of over 380 units. These units will house Indigenous peoples and veterans and will provide varying levels of accessibility and affordability.

The first project will build more housing for veterans and will be operated by Royal Canadian Legion Branch 25. It aims to replace the existing building with a nine-storey accessible tower, which will encompass 107 units, of which more than 30 percent will be below market rent. The building will have amenities for the tenants, their families, and the community, including a restaurant, meeting rooms, a hall, and a gathering place. This project received $32.1 million in federal funding through the National Housing Co-Investment Fund (NHCF) and $1.9 million from Veteran's Housing Ontario Inc.

The second portfolio of projects will be owned and operated by Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services (OAHS), with nine projects serving communities across Ontario, creating 276 affordable units to support Indigenous peoples. While some projects will support Indigenous people who are experiencing or at risk of chronic homelessness, others will support at-risk Indigenous youth and women and their children. This portfolio of projects will receive nearly $87 million in federal funding through the NHCF. Approximately $3.7 million has also been committed by the federal government and the Province of Ontario through the Ontario Priorities Housing Initiative (OPHI) bilateral agreement to build 45 units in Sault Ste. Marie and London, as well as $7.2 million from OAHS in the form of land and cash equity.

Construction of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 25 project is expected to be completed by December 2023, while construction of the OAHS portfolio of projects is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.

Quotes:

“Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. With this announcement, we are supporting of the needs of Indigenous Peoples, veterans, youth, and women and their children in Sault Ste. Marie and other communities across the region. This funding will make it possible for hundreds of Indigenous people and veterans in Ontario to access new homes, taking a crucial step towards addressing the need for affordable housing in these communities. This is one of the many ways our government’s National Housing Strategy is ensuring that no one is left behind.”
— The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion

“It has been a pleasure working with staff from the local Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services office and with the volunteers from the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 25, here in Sault Ste. Marie, along with so many other great community stakeholders, to get us here today. Having access to safe, supportive, and affordable homes will help bring positive change to our communities. In collaboration with our provincial and municipal partners and local stakeholders, we are working to ensure that all people in Sault Ste. Marie and in communities across our province and across Canada, have safe and affordable housing.”
— Terry Sheehan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour and Member of Parliament Sault Ste. Marie

“I am pleased to see the strong relationships we have built with all levels of government and Indigenous partners including Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services lead to such positive results. We will continue to work hard to tackle Ontario’s housing supply crisis and ensure all Ontarians can find a home that meets their needs and budgets.”
— The Honourable Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing

“Today’s announcement continues our government’s record of helping Ontarians find the safe and supportive housing they need. I look forward to seeing these projects completed and know they will make a real and positive impact in the lives of Ontarians.”
— The Honourable Michael Parsa, Associate Minister of Housing for Ontario

“I am so proud of all the hard work that has been done by the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 25 and Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services. These critical projects could not come at a better time based on the current housing supply crisis. I can't wait to see the continued progress on the Legion project in the coming year and look forward to working with the team at Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services to see their projects move forward.”
— Ross Romano, Member of Provincial Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie

“The need for affordable housing is immense, and the lasting impacts it can have on homeowners and their families are profound and capable of transforming communities. It is paramount that all levels of government collaborate to ensure people have access to home ownership opportunities, and the City is pleased to work with our government and community partners in support of these important projects.”
— Matthew Shoemaker, Mayor of Sault Ste. Marie

“Working together, among all levels of government, is essential to address the housing needs of Indigenous people living in urban and rural areas. Safe, affordable, and culture-based housing is the foundation for healthy communities. The nine developments announced today, across Ontario, demonstrate that the task of building up our communities requires positive and productive partnerships to get the job done of successfully housing people in a good way.”
— Cora McGuire-Cyrette, Board Chair, Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services

“The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 25, its Property Development Committee chaired by Col. Clyde Healey, and every Veteran and member within our area, thanks all of the government agencies responsible for getting us to this place. We absolutely thank Sam Biasucci from Sal-Dan Developments and Veteran’s Housing Inc. for bringing our dream to fruition. We believe that this project will allow us to service veterans and the community for many years to come.”
— Helen Stewart, President, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 25 – Sault Ste. Marie

Quick facts:

The National Housing Co-Investment Fund (NHCF) is a program under the National Housing Strategy (NHS) that gives priority to projects that help people who need it most, including women and children fleeing family violence, seniors, Indigenous peoples, people living with disabilities, those with mental health or addiction issues, veterans, and young adults.
The Government of Canada’s National Housing Strategy (NHS) is an ambitious, 10-year plan that will invest over $72 billion to give more Canadians a place to call home.
OPHI provides flexible funding to address local housing priorities and improve access to affordable housing options. The initiative helps to increase affordable housing supply and improve the state of repair of community housing stock.
OPHI is a program under the CMHC – Ontario Bilateral Agreement. This 10-year agreement provides more than $5.75 billion to protect, renew and expand community housing, support Ontario’s priorities related to housing repair, construction and affordability, and deliver direct affordability support to Ontarians who need housing.
The Ontario government has also increased supports under the Indigenous Supportive Housing Program (ISHP) from $13.3 million in 2021 – 22 to $30 million this fiscal year. This program provides housing assistance and support services to Indigenous people who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness, especially those experiencing chronic homelessness, youth homelessness, and homelessness following transitions from provincially funded institutions.

Associated links:

The OAHS’ Sault Ste. Marie project consists of 52 units that will be jointly managed by OAHS and the Métis Nation of Ontario.

As Canada's authority on housing, CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing needs, and offers unbiased housing research and advice to all levels of the Canadian government, consumers and the housing industry. CMHC’s aim is that by 2030, everyone in Canada has a home they can afford and that meets their needs. For more information, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.

To find out more about the National Housing Strategy, visit: www.placetocallhome.ca

Check out the National Housing Strategy Housing Funding Initiatives Map to see affordable housing projects that have been developed across Canada. Ontario is committed to increasing housing supply across the province, while getting the best value for taxpayers. Cutting red tape will bring housing to market faster — leading to lower housing costs and helping people keep more of their hard-earned dollars. For more information on affordable housing in Ontario, visit ontario.ca/affordablehousing or follow us on Twitter.