Canada and Alberta support senior housing in Lethbridge

Lethbridge, Alberta, July 21, 2021

Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. That is why Governments of Canada and Alberta are bringing more mixed-income housing to the Lethbridge area for seniors.

The new development includes 64 housing units addressing the need for more affordable seniors homes in the City of Lethbridge. The units will incorporate a mixed-income model, allowing residents to pay rent at a rate that makes sense for their individual situation.

Located across from a park, the new homes include on-site services and supports for the residents who should be moving in by early spring 2022.

The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), and Seniors and Housing Minister Josephine Pon announced the governments of Canada and Alberta will provide $3.4 million for the project.

The total project will create about 91 jobs.

Quotes:

“Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. Investments like this one here in Lethbridge demonstrate that our Government is committed to helping create new jobs and stimulate the economy, while providing access to safe, affordable homes for Canadian seniors.”
— The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)

“As Minister of Seniors, I am proud of the support that the governments of Canada and Alberta are offering to seniors in Lethbridge. This new housing investment will provide 128 seniors with a reliable and affordable place to call home as they age.”
— The Honourable Deb Schulte, Minister of Seniors

“Alberta’s government is working to create affordable and sustainable housing options for seniors. This new Lethbridge development, an affordable housing pilot P3, shows how the private sector, nonprofit sector and different orders of government can all work together to help more Alberta seniors access the housing they need. I look forward to welcoming seniors to their new homes next spring.”
— Josephine Pon, Minister of Seniors and Housing

“We're thrilled to see work starting on this vital facility for the seniors in our community. Affordable housing is an area of stress and concern for many aging Canadians and we're grateful to the Federal and Provincial Governments for making this a priority and acting on it for Lethbridge.”
— Chris Spearman, mayor of Lethbridge

“Lethbridge & Region Community Housing Corp is thankful for the Federal and Provincial investment of $3.4M into our 64-unit project for Lethbridge seniors wanting to live affordably and independently. All units will be partially accessible with a portion of units being fully accessible which will permit seniors to age in place.”
— Shaun Ward, board chair, Lethbridge Housing Authority

Quick facts:

Canada's National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year $72-plus billion plan that will give more Canadians a place to call home.
The NHS is built on strong partnerships between the federal, provincial and territorial governments, and continuous engagement with others, including municipalities, Indigenous governments and organizations, and the social and private housing sectors. This includes consultations with Canadians from all walks of life, and people with lived experience of housing need.
All NHS investments delivered by the federal, provincial and territorial governments will respect the key principles of the NHS that support partnerships, people and communities.
Alberta’s Capital Plan 2021 allocates $238 million over three years to provide 1,800 new and regenerated affordable housing units, more than 1,700 jobs and maintain the 26,700 unit provincially owned portfolio.
About 1,200 new units have been completed in the past two years, of which half were for seniors.
Alberta’s government accepted all 19 recommendations outlined in the Affordable Housing Review Panel’s final report. The panel identified a clear need to redefine the government’s role and to work with community and private-sector organizations to deliver more value for government spending, including more P3 and mixed-income developments.

Associated links:

As Canada's authority on housing, CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need, and offers unbiased housing research and advice to all levels of Canadian government, consumers and the housing industry. 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.

The Alberta ministry of Seniors and Housing fosters the development of affordable housing and supports access to housing options for Albertans most in need. The ministry works with seniors, their families and caregivers, Albertans who require housing supports and communities and other government partners. A more detailed description of the ministry and its programs and initiatives can be found at alberta.ca/ministry-seniors-housing.aspx.