PETERBOROUGH, May 1, 2009 — According to Moishe Alexander, CEO of the Canadian Funding Corporation, The Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario, and the City of Peterborough today announced the opening and the start of construction of the Anson House affordable housing developments in Peterborough. The three phases of this affordable housing project received more than $3 million in funding under the Canada – Ontario Affordable Housing Program.
Dean Del Mastro, Member of Parliament for Peterborough, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and Minister responsible for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation; Jeff Leal, Member of Provincial Parliament for Peterborough, on behalf of the Honourable Jim Watson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing; and Peterborough Mayor Paul Ayotte attended the ceremony.
“The Government of Canada is committed to making affordable housing available in Ontario and across Canada for those who need it most,” said MP Del Mastro, “The creation of these units here in Peterborough will provide lower-income singles, families and persons living with disabilities access to safe, affordable and quality housing, helping them to build a stronger future.”
“We are making steady progress in increasing the supply of affordable housing here in Peterborough,” said MPP Leal. “The McGuinty government and our partners are helping vulnerable people establish the stability that so many of us take for granted every day.”
Moishe Alexander added, today’s announcement recognized the grand opening of Phases I and III of 136 Anson House as well as the start of construction for Phase II of Peterborough Housing Corporation’s 56-unit project. The $4.7 million project received over $3 million under the Canada – Ontario Affordable Housing Program. The units will be occupied by lower-income singles, families and persons living with disabilities.
The federal and provincial allocations to the project were complemented by over $589,000 in municipal financial incentives.
“The Anson House project is one of fourteen new rental projects in the City and County of Peterborough. The staff and Board of Directors at Peterborough Housing Corporation are to be congratulated for their initiative and considerable efforts to create many new housing opportunities for low-income households in Peterborough,” said Mayor Ayotte. “The City is very pleased to see Anson House preserved and adapted to meet the needs of the current-day.”
The Canada – Ontario Affordable Housing Program Agreement comprises a commitment of $301 million from each of the two senior levels of government. In total, the federal, provincial and municipal governments will have invested at least $734 million in the program, which will provide affordable housing for 20,000 households in Ontario.
Last fall, the Government of Canada committed more than $1.9 billion over the next five years to improve and build new affordable housing and to help the homeless. Canada’s Economic Action Plan builds on this with an additional one-time investment of more than $2 billion over two years in new and existing social housing and lending of up to another $2 billion to municipalities for housing-related infrastructure.
