The Governments of Newfoundland and Labrador and Canada have provided conditional approval to 10 private and three non-profit sector groups to develop 93 new affordable housing units throughout the province, including 13 fully accessible units.
These new homes will be supported by a $6 million cost-shared federal-provincial investment through an extension to the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Agreement for Investment in Affordable Housing 2014-19.
The Honourable Lisa Dempster, Minister Responsible for Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation, and the Honourable Andrew Parsons, Minister of Justice and Public Safety, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Environment and MHA for Burgeo – La Poile, made the announcement today.
This $6 million investment will bring the total of new affordable units created through the cost-shared Federal/Provincial Investment in Affordable Housing Agreement spanning 2003-2019 to approximately 1,700.
A list of the conditionally-approved projects can be viewed in the backgrounder below.
Initiatives such as this deliver on commitments in The Way Forward to strengthen the province’s economic foundation and deliver better services and better outcomes for residents. The Way Forward outlines all actions the Provincial Government is taking to achieve a strong, diversified province with a high standard of living, and can be viewed at thewayforward.gov.nl.ca.
Quotes
“This significant investment shows our government’s continued commitment to expanding affordable and accessible housing options and to working with our non-profit and private-sector partners throughout the province to help achieve that goal. These new projects will provide persons with disabilities, families, single individuals and independent seniors greater opportunity to find the right housing for their needs.”
Honourable Lisa Dempster
Minister Responsible for Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation
“Today’s announcement is wonderful news for the Port aux Basques area. We look forward with great anticipation for the official opening of the new housing development. The facility will accommodate a range of occupant needs and enable tenants to continue living in their own community close to family and friends.”
Honourable Andrew Parsons
Minister of Justice and Public Safety and Minister of Municipal Affairs and Environment
MHA for Burgeo – La Poile
“The Gateway Village Corporation is very pleased to be one of the non-profit proponents to receive funding through the Investment in Affordable Housing Program Initiative. This funding will enable the Town of Channel-Port Aux Basques to provide much needed homes in the region for the community’s most vulnerable citizens. There are many interested and eligible applicants with low incomes who will be excited to hear that affordable rental units will be available in the near future.”
Melvin Keeping
Chairperson, Gateway Village Corporation
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Learn more
Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation – www.nlhc.nf.ca
Follow us on Twitter @GovNL, @CSSD_GovNL, and @nlhousing
Media contacts
Jenny Bowring
Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation
709-724-3055
jmbowring@nlhc.nl.ca
Kristina George
Government Members Office
709-729-5306, 709-693-7488
kristinageorge@gov.nl.ca
Todd Strickland
Gateway Village Corporation
709-695-0602
tstrickland@portauxbasques.ca
BACKGROUNDER
Private and Non-Profit Sector Affordable Housing Projects Funded through the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Agreement for Investment in Affordable Housing 2014-19
| Private Sector Affordable Housing Projects | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Proponent | Units | Location | Funding |
| E &W Enterprises Ltd. | 6 | Victoria | $ 240,000 |
| Scott’s Construction Ltd. | 5 | Conception Bay South | $ 200,000 |
| Talamh an Eisc. Const. Controls Inc. | 6 | Bonavista | $ 240,000 |
| KMR Transport Ltd. | 8 | Fogo Island | $ 320,000 |
| Spruce Ridge Properties Ltd. | 6 | Port Blandford | $ 240,000 |
| Triple A Investments Ltd. | 8 | Grand Falls-Windsor | $ 320,000 |
| Peter Farr Holdings Ltd. | 8 | Summerford | $ 320,000 |
| JMAK Holdings Ltd. | 8 | Happy Valley-Goose Bay | $ 440,000 |
| C&T Enterprises Ltd. | 8 | Forteau | $ 440,000 |
| Grand Fairways Resort Inc. | 6 | Burin | $ 240,000 |
| Sub-total | 69 | $3,000,000 | |
| Non-Profit Sector Affordable Housing Projects | |||
| Masonic Park | 8 | Mount Pearl | $1,000,000 |
| Evangel Pentecostal Church | 8 | Gander | $1,000,000 |
| Gateway Village Corporation | 8 | Port aux Basques | $1,000,000 |
| Sub-total | 24 | $3,000,000 | |
| Total | 93 | $6,000,000 | |
The Honourable Lisa Dempster, Minister Responsible for Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation (NLHC), joined her provincial, territorial and federal colleagues and endorsed a multilateral Housing Partnership Framework at a meeting yesterday in Toronto.
Federal, provincial and territorial governments are primary partners in housing and have a shared responsibility and complementary roles for housing. This is why together, under the partnership, the federal, provincial and territorial governments will work together to help make housing more affordable and accessible: the Canada Housing Benefit, the Canada Community Housing Initiative, Provincial/Territorial Priority Funding, and funding for the northern territories.
As part of the partnership, it was agreed that governments will achieve better housing outcomes by sharing data and information that will make program development and delivery more effective, collaborating with diverse stakeholders, and aligning housing policies and planning with other sectors to create effective housing solutions and vibrant communities.
Quote
“The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is pleased to endorse the multilateral partnership. Over the coming months we will work to reach an agreement with the Federal Government on a bi-lateral agreement to deliver our share of federal funding and align the National Housing Strategy and our forthcoming provincial housing and homelessness plan.”
Honourable Lisa Dempster
Minister Responsible for the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation
– 30 –
Learn More:
Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation – www.nlhc.nl.ca
Follow us on Twitter: @GovNL, @CSSD_GovNL, and @nlhousing
Media contacts
Jenny Bowring
Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation
709-724-3055
jmbowring@nlhc.nl.ca
Gina MacArthur
Children, Seniors and Social Development
709-729-3768, 730-2977
GinaMacarthur@gov.nl.ca
Today the Honourable Tom Osborne, Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board, along with the Honourable Lisa Dempster, Minister Responsible for the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation (NLHC), announced new programs to make it easier for new home buyers to purchase their first home.
As part of Budget 2018, $1 million has been allocated for a new Home Purchase Program. The program will provide grants of $3,000 to individuals and families to go toward the down payment of newly constructed or existing new homes never sold or occupied that are valued under $400,000 including HST. The 330 grants provided in 2018-19 will be issued to the first home buyers who apply and qualify.
The Home Purchase Program is intended to stimulate the economy and generate employment through new home construction and will begin on April 1, 2018. More details can be found in the backgrounder below.
The former Down Payment Assistance Program delivered by NLHC has been replaced with the First-time Homebuyers Program, placing greater focus on its goal to ensure home ownership is more accessible for first-time homebuyers. The program will be extended to March 31, 2019, with available funding of $1.25 million, and will assist an estimated 100 households to secure home ownership.
This extension will provide program enhancements designed to address the impact of new mortgage rules introduced by the federal government in October 2016. The enhancements include:
NLHC will accept applications for the First-time Homebuyers Program beginning April 1, 2018, and additional program information will be available at www.nlhc.nl.ca/programs/programsFhp.html .
These programs complement commitments outlined in The Way Forward: A Vision for Sustainability and Growth in Newfoundland and Labrador. The Way Forward guides Provincial Government actions to strengthen the province’s economic foundation and improve outcomes to promote a healthy and prosperous province.
Quotes
“The new Home Purchase Program will help Newfoundlanders and Labradorians achieve their dream of home ownership. Whether it is new families just starting out, a family looking to sell an existing property and move into a new home or retirees looking to downsize, this program will help people build for their futures. This program will also stimulate new home construction, in an industry that provides numerous jobs and countless economic benefits to our province. We remain committed to advancing initiatives that create jobs and strengthen our economy.”
Honourable Tom Osborne
Minister of Finance
“The First-time Homebuyers Program helps to bridge the affordability gap that can prevent moderate-income households from moving out of the rental market and into homeownership. Assisting these households with the minimum down payment on a home removes a primary barrier to home ownership for this income range.”
Honourable Lisa Dempster
Minister Responsible for the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation
“These new programs represent a significant investment in the lives of many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, and are one part of the key role that Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation plays in helping people along the housing continuum.”
Glenn Goss
Executive Director of the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation
– 30 –
Learn More
Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation – www.nlhc.nl.ca
Follow us on Twitter: @GovNL , @FIN_GovNL and @CSSD_GovNL
Media contacts
Chrysta Collins
Finance
709-729-4839, 730-1568
chrystacollins@gov.nl.ca
Jenny Bowring
Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation
709-724-3055
jmbowring@nlhc.nl.ca
BACKGROUNDER
Details on home buyers programs
As part of Budget 2018, the Provincial Government announced the new Home Purchase Program and enhancements to the newly renamed First-time Homebuyers Program to assist individuals and families become homeowners.
Home Purchase Program
First-time Homebuyers Program
A key dedication ceremony was held today at St. John’s City Hall to celebrate Habitat for Humanity homes for two families.
The Honourable Lisa Dempster, Minister Responsible for the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation and Nick Whalen, Member of Parliament – St. John’s East, on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), made the announcement today.
The Governments of Newfoundland and Labrador and Canada contributed $85,000, through the 2014-2019 Investment in Affordable Housing (IAH) agreement, towards the newly built McNeil Street single family three-bedroom home. A new family has also moved into a recently renovated four-bedroom Habitat home on Charter Avenue. Both families have been living in their new homes since December 2017.
The Government of Canada recently unveiled its National Housing Strategy – a 10-year, $40 billion plan that will create 100,000 new housing units and lift 530,000 families out of housing need.
Quotes
“Today, we are happy to celebrate with these two families who are now proud home owners. By continuing to work collaboratively with our partners, we can help ensure more families have access to safe and affordable housing throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.”
Honourable Lisa Dempster
Minister Responsible for Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation
“There is a great deal of work and cooperation that takes place during Habitat for Humanity builds, such as this one. Our government is proud to be partner. The investments in these new homes will make a real difference in the lives of two families, a place they can proudly call their own.”
Nick Whalen
Member of Parliament – St. John’s East
“Providing a ‘hand up’ one house, one family at a time – that is what we are all about here at Habitat for Humanity. Our partner families have worked hard to achieve their dream of home ownership and we are grateful to our community sponsors, staff and volunteers who make their dream a reality.”
Sandra Whiffen
Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity Newfoundland and Labrador
“Habitat has allowed us to have a home for my daughter to grow up in and call her own. I truly can’t put into words what it means to us.”
The Bloodworth Family
“Having a Habitat home for us means no more moving, planting our roots and finally getting to call our house a home. I can now look at my home and say; ‘this is what I’ve been working so hard for!’ It’s not just a home, it’s a life lesson for my kids that show if you work hard, you can do anything!”
The Bragg Family
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Learn More
Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation – www.nlhc.nl.ca
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation – cmhc.ca
Habitat for Humanity – www.habitat.ca/
National Housing Strategy – www.placetocallhome.ca/
Follow us on Twitter: @GovNL , @CSSD_GovNL and @nlhousing
Media contacts
Jenny Bowring
Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation
709-724-3055
jmbowring@nlhc.nl.ca
Krista Dalton
Children, Seniors and Social Development
709-729-3768, 685-6492
kristadalton@gov.nl.ca
Émilie Gauduchon
Office of Minister Duclos
819-654-5546
Emilie.Gauduchon@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
Natalie Chavarie
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
902-426-4262
nchavari@cmhc-schl.gc.ca