Conseil Communauté en santé du Manitoba

The Governments of Canada and Manitoba today announced $7.8 million in joint funding for Villa Youville, a new affordable housing project. The 24 units will enhance housing quality and accessibility for seniors in Sainte-Anne-des-Chênes. Celebrations took place at a groundbreaking ceremony.

The project involves the demolition of an existing obsolete personal care home and its replacement with twenty-four units of affordable, supportive housing. Twelve of the new units will be rented on a rent-geared-to-income basis, and the remaining at Median Market Rents for the area. In addition to working with existing infrastructure and service supports, this project introduces supportive housing into the community of Sainte-Anne-des-Chênes. The project will use geothermal heating and cooling and includes a chapel, and expanded kitchen and dining room funded through community fundraising.

The announcement was made by the Honourable Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety and Regional Minister for Manitoba, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), and the Honourable Ron Lemieux, Manitoba Minister of Local Government on behalf of the Honourable Kerri Irvin-Ross, Manitoba Minister of Housing and Community Development.

“Our government’s Economic Action Plan is delivering for seniors here in Sainte-Anne-des-Chênes and in communities throughout the country,” said Minister Toews. “At Villa Youville, the construction of these units is creating jobs, a great way to get our local economy moving. More importantly, it means that lower-income seniors will continue to have access to quality affordable housing that meets their needs.”

“Our goal is to bring affordable, accessible housing to seniors in our province,” said Minister Lemieux. “The construction of Villa Youville means more seniors can continue to live independently, remain in and contribute to the community they call home. Today’s announcement will help alleviate the growing demand for seniors housing by providing seniors in the Sainte-Anne-des-Chênes area with more affordable housing options.”

The federal and provincial governments are contributing equally to an overall investment of $176 million for the creation of affordable housing under the amended Canada-Manitoba Affordable Housing Program Agreement. Federal funding for the units in this announcement was made available through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, the government’s plan to stimulate the economy and create jobs during the global recession. Provincial funding for these units was provided by Manitoba Housing through HOMEWorks!, the Province of Manitoba’s long-term housing strategy and investment plan.

Canada’s Economic Action Plan provides $400 million, over two years, to build new rental housing for low-income seniors. Overall, the Economic Action 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.

Today’s announcement builds on the work of the Age-Friendly Manitoba Initiative to support seniors in leading active, socially engaged, independent lives that contribute to healthy aging. The goal of the initiative is to make Manitoba the most age-friendly province in Canada by working with the communities and the federal government to enhance the programs and services that benefit the well-being of all seniors.

Through Manitoba Housing’s Long-Term Housing Strategy, HOMEWorks!, the Province of Manitoba, with the financial assistance of the Government of Canada, is contributing $378 million over two years for housing initiatives in Winnipeg and across the province. HOMEWorks! supports ALL Aboard, Manitoba’s Poverty Reduction strategy by increasing the supply of quality, affordable housing for low-income Manitobans. In 2009, the province committed to creating 1,500 new affordable housing units by 2014. As of March 31, 2011, the province had committed funding for 707 new affordable housing units. More information about HOMEWorks! is available at www.gov.mb.ca/housing.

Canada’s Economic Action Plan builds on the Government of Canada’s commitment in 2008 of more than $1.9 billion over five years, to improve and build new affordable housing and help the homeless. As reported in Budget 2011: A Low-Tax Plan for Jobs and Growth, more than 14,000 housing projects are completed or underway across the country, helping families and individuals, including seniors and persons with disabilities, find suitable and affordable housing while putting Canadians back to work.

More information on this and other measures in Canada’s Economic Action Plan, the federal government’s plan to stimulate the economy and protect those hit hardest by the global recession, can be found at www.actionplan.gc.ca. To find out more about how the Government of Canada and CMHC are working to build stronger homes and communities for all Canadians, call CMHC at 1-800-668-2642 or visit www.cmhc.ca/housingactionplan.

Manitoba seniors will have more opportunity for active, socially engaging, independent lifestyles with $362,000 in funding to support age-friendly work in the province, Healthy Living, Youth and Seniors Minister Jim Rondeau announced today.

“I am proclaiming October as Seniors’ and Elders’ Month in Manitoba in recognition of the continuing contributions of seniors in our province and to promote the well-being of older Manitobans,” said Rondeau.  “We are committed to the interests and needs of older Manitobans; one of the ways we are demonstrating that commitment is by supporting age-friendly communities that allow older Manitobans to remain in their homes longer.”

The announcement was made at the Seniors’ and Elders’ Day celebration at the Winnipeg Convention Centre. The organizing committee chose the theme ‘Homecoming’ in recognition of Manitoba Homecoming 2010 being celebrated around the province all year.

The funding will support the age-friendly work of Age and Opportunity, Creative Retirement Manitoba, la Fédération des âinés franco-manitobains, the Aboriginal Seniors Resource Centre, the Manitoba Association of Senior Centres, the Active Living Coalition of Older Adults in Manitoba, the Manitoba Society of Seniors and the Transportation Options Network for Seniors in addressing issues such as healthy aging, elder abuse, social isolation, transportation and intergenerational activities.

Launched in 2008, the Age-Friendly Manitoba Initiative encourages policies, services and structures that support and enable older adults to live in security, enjoy good health and continue to participate fully in society, Rondeau said. The Age-Friendly Manitoba Initiative continues to gain momentum throughout the province with 75 per cent of Manitoba’s population living in communities that are becoming age-friendly, he added.

Rondeau also highlighted the A Safer Home – A Safer You DVD which features two videos of interest to seniors, Protecting Your House and Home Falls Prevention. To increase the accessibility of the DVD, it is now available on the Manitoba Healthy Living, Youth and Seniors website. To view the DVD, visit www.gov.mb.ca/healthyliving and click on the Seniors and Healthy Aging link.  The DVD is part of the SafetyAid program supported by Manitoba Justice and Manitoba Healthy Living, Youth and Seniors, and delivered by Age and Opportunity. SafetyAid focuses on home safety and crime prevention for seniors.

Communities throughout Manitoba are participating in Seniors’ and Elders’ Month by hosting an event to celebrate seniors. The online calendar of over 50 events can be viewed at www.seniors.cimnet.ca/cim/19.dhtm.

Source: Manitoba News Media Services

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