The federal, provincial and municipal governments broke ground on Monday on an affordable housing project in Guelph.
The project by St. Joseph Housing Corporation Inc. will provide 80 affordable housing units for seniors and will be located on Edinburgh Road. The project received $9.6-million in funding from the federal and provincial governments.
MP Michael Chong said the federal government is providing $4.8-million, and the provincial government is matching that. St. Joseph Housing will pay the remaining $13-million.
Chong said the project will mean “more senior citizens can continue living independently in the community they call home.”
He said the funding is part of the federal government’s Economic Action Plan to provide stimulus to help weather the recession, and the money will help provide affordable housing for low income people, and also provide jobs, such as construction, and later work for people running the housing.
Chong noted the federal government will be continuing its stimulus spending until the end of next March. He said the government took that approach when private sector spending dropped off during “the worst recession since the 1930s” and it appears to have worked.
He said Canada has been rated the most stable and effective economy in the G7, and it is also lauded by the International Monetary Fund as having the best economy, and Canada’s banks are now stable.
Guelph MPP Liz Sandals said, “As part of our Open Ontario plan, today’s investment of $4.8-million by the Ontario government will stimulate the economy by creating jobs and supporting local businesses, but most importantly it will make a positive difference in the lives of many senior citizens right here in Guelph.”
Wellington County Warden Joanne Ross-Zuj said, “The County of Wellington is pleased to support this affordable housing initiative. Finding suitable, affordable housing is a concern for many low-income seniors.
“This new 80 unit project will give local seniors a safe and comfortable place to call home and will allow them to remain in their community, close to family and friends.”
Canada’s Economic Action Plan is providing $400-million, over two years, to build new rental housing for low-income seniors.
Overall, the plan includes $2-billion for the construction of new and the renovation of existing social housing, plus up to $2-billion in low cost loans to municipalities for housing-related infrastructure. It builds on the federal commitment of more than $1.9-billion over five years to improve and build new affordable housing and help the homeless.
In 2009 Ontario allocated a combined federal and provincial investment of $704-million for the renovation of social housing, and $540-million for the creation of new affordable housing. That spending is part of the Open Ontario plan, and will create an estimated 23,000 jobs over the course of the program, and strengthen local economies across the province.
Wellington County, as the social services provider for Guelph and Wellington, will administer the money. There are no county funds going into the project.
