Photo: MP Longfield with local community stakeholders during their summer meeting

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - November 22, 2018

Guelph, ON - All Canadians need and deserve housing that is safe and affordable. 

A home makes Canadians feel more secure, making it easier to raise healthy children, pursue an education, and gain employment. 

MP Lloyd Longfield on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, highlighted federal initiatives to help middle-class families, and those working hard to join it, have safe and affordable housing. In Ontario alone, the Government of Canada invested $2 billion to support more than 300,000 families since 2016

The National Housing Strategy (NHS) is built around three themes:

• People: Address the housing needs of Canadians, including seniors, women and children fleeing domestic violence, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, racialized communities, people with mental health and addiction issues, veterans and young adults.

• Communities: Contribute to strengthening communities through sustainable, accessible and mixedincome housing that promotes diversity and inclusion.

• Partnerships: Foster innovation and collaboration among governments, the non-profit, co-operative and private housing sectors, and academia to make a real difference in the living conditions of Canadians.

The NHS is meeting the needs of Canadians from all walks of life. Built by and for Canadians – the Strategy sets a long-term vision for housing in Canada with unprecedented investments and new programs that will deliver real results for Canadians working hard to improve their quality of life.

Quotes:

“The local investments made to ensure affordable housing for our seniors, families and the most vulnerable in our community is something I am proud of. We are making a difference in Guelph and Wellington and I am happy to see the Government of Canada has taken the lead by developing the first ever National Housing Strategy. I will continue to work with the community to advocate for safe and affordable housing in the region,and work with our community partners to provide support for those in Guelph and Wellington County that need it.” – Lloyd Longfield, Member of Parliament for Guelph

“Building on investments made since 2016, the National Housing Strategy is helping to create an economy that works for everyone. It will allow more Canadians across the country to have access to housing that meets their needs and they can afford. This Strategy restores the federal government’s leadership role in affordable housing and will build a new generation of housing in Canada.”- Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

Quick facts:

• To help increase supply and support affordability, the NHS will deliver up to 100,000 new housing units, repair another 300,000 units through various new funding initiatives. It will also reduce or eliminate housing need for 530,000 households and reduce chronic homelessness by 50% by 2028.

• Through the $13.2 billion National Housing Co-Investment Fund, the Government of Canada will work with partners to create up to 60,000 new affordable units and repair up to 240,000 affordable and community units over the next ten years. Investments will also support the creation or repair of at least 4,000 shelter spaces for survivors of family violence, the creation of at least 7,000 new affordable units for seniors and 2,400 new affordable units for people with developmental disabilities.

• The Affordable Housing Innovation Fund, a National Housing Strategy initiative delivered by CMHC, will create up to 4,000 new affordable housing units and reduce the number of Canadians living in housing need.

• As part of the National Housing Strategy, on April 9, 2018, the federal, provincial and territorial Ministers responsible for housing endorsed a multilateral Housing Partnership Framework (except Quebec), setting the foundation for federal, provincial and territorial governments to work together towards achieving a long-term shared vision for housing. As part of this agreement, provinces and territories have committed to a 15% expansion in new affordable housing units and the renewal of 20% of existing community housing units across the country.

• The Government of Canada is also working with Indigenous leaders to co-develop distinctions-based housing strategies with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Nation that will be founded on the principles of self-determination, reconciliation, respect, and cooperation.

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