Canada supports 66 new affordable homes in Ottawa

Ottawa, Ontario, June 14, 2022

Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home.

The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, along with Yasir Naqvi, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada, Minister of Emergency Preparedness, and Member of Parliament for Ottawa – Centre, and Councillor Catherine McKenney, Special Liaison for Housing and Homelessness for the City of Ottawa announced over $22.4 million of federal funding that will be divided towards three projects to create an estimate of 66 new homes through the Rapid Housing Initiative.

Located at 44 Eccles Street, the first project will be operated by Cornerstone Housing for Women. The project will convert an existing 3.5 story office building into 46 supportive housing single-occupancy units for women.

The second project will be located at 256 St Denis Street in Vanier and will be operated by Gignul Non-Profit Housing Corporation. The building will consist of 12 stacked townhouse units and will be targeted Indigenous individuals and families.

The third project, to be operated by Shepherds of Good Hope, will be located at 216 Murray Street. The project will create approximately 8 units to support Indigenous women experiencing homelessness. This project is the second phase of a housing complex that already includes 40 units supportive housing development funded under the first round of the Rapid Housing Initiative.

New investments under the Rapid Housing Initiative will create thousands of good jobs in the housing and construction sector, grow the middle class, and build back stronger communities while getting us closer to our goal of eliminating chronic homelessness in Canada.

Quotes:

“Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. This investment through the Rapid Housing Initiative is a crucial step to support those most vulnerable in Ottawa. These new homes will offer their residents stability and safety. This is another way our National Housing Strategy is ensuring no one is left behind.”
— The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion

“With this announcement, we are providing a chance to members of our community who are vulnerable, in particular taking care of the needs of Indigenous people living in urban environments. Having access to safe, supportive and affordable homes will help bring a positive change to their lives and to the community. In collaboration with the city of Ottawa and local stakeholders, we are working to ensure that all people in Ottawa and across our province have safe and affordable housing.”
— The Honourable Mona Fortier, President of the Treasury Board and Member of Parliament for Ottawa – Vanier

“Through the Rapid Housing Initiative, our federal government is investing in safe, affordable and supportive housing here in Ottawa Centre and across Canada. This program helps to reduce chronic homelessness and ensure that more Canadians have a place to call home. There is more work to do, and I remain committed to working with my colleagues and the community to create more affordable and accessible homes in Ottawa, improving the quality of life for those who need it most. This is our National Housing Strategy in action.”
— Yasir Naqvi, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada, Minister of Emergency Preparedness, and Member of Parliament for Ottawa – Centre

“Today’s announcement was an important step towards providing safe and affordable housing to those in our city who need it most. Funding through the Rapid Housing Initiative will have an immensely positive impact on our most vulnerable residents and help end the cycle of homelessness. I would like to thank the federal government for their commitment to supporting individuals and families in having a safe place to call home.”
— Jim Watson, Mayor of the City of Ottawa

Quick facts:

The Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) is a $2.5 billion program under the National Housing Strategy (NHS) to help address the urgent housing needs of vulnerable Canadians, especially in the context of COVID-19, through the rapid construction of over 10,000 units of affordable housing.
The RHI takes a human rights-based approach to housing, serving people experiencing or at risk of homelessness and other vulnerable people, including women and children fleeing domestic violence, seniors, young adults, Indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, people experiencing mental health and addiction issues, veterans, LGBTQ2S+ individuals, racialized and Black Canadians, recent immigrants, and refugees.
Units are intended to be constructed within 12 months of funding being provided to program applicants (with some exceptions). Units in the North and remote communities are intended to be constructed within 18 months.
Budget 2022 proposes to provide $1.5 billion over the next two years to extend the RHI and create 6,000 additional affordable housing units across Canada, with at least 25% of funding going towards women-focused housing projects.
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.

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. 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.

Check out the National Housing Strategy Housing Funding Initiatives Map to see the affordable housing projects that have been developed across Canada.