Governments of Canada and PEI reach a 10-year housing agreement

CHARLOTTETOWN, Jan. 16, 2019 /CNW/ - Families, Indigenous communities and vulnerable Canadians in need of an affordable place to call home can count on long-term funding for community housing in Prince Edward Island thanks to an agreement by the federal and provincial governments.

Adam Vaughan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, and the Honourable Wade MacLauchlan, Premier of Prince Edward Island, today announced they have reached a bilateral agreement under the National Housing Strategy (NHS). This agreement, which will be cost-shared ?by the governments of Canada and Prince Edward Island, demonstrates a joint commitment to prioritize affordable housing.

The 10-year agreement will invest a minimum of $15 million to support housing repair, construction, and affordability in Prince Edward Island. The governments of Canada and Prince Edward Island will also work together on the design and implementation of a new Canada Housing Benefit for the province, to provide affordability support directly to families and individuals in housing need. Investments under the Canada Housing Benefit will be announced at a later date. The new agreement marks the beginning of a partnership that will be supported by long-term and predictable funding starting April 1, 2019.

This is a ?progressive housing agreement that commits the governments of Canada and Prince Edward Island to new and higher standards of transparency, public engagement, and housing quality, including improved energy efficiency and accessibility. The agreement also acknowledges the importance of prioritizing people most in need, incorporating a human rights-based approach to housing, and applying a gender lens to all investments.

Quotes:

"The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that every Canadian has a safe and affordable place to call home. Long-term, predictable funding for housing has been needed for more than a decade. Today, with the Prince Edward Island Government, we have taken a significant step toward our goal of building strong communities where Canadian families can prosper and thrive, now and for the future. Our Government will continue working in partnership with Prince Edward Island and other provinces and territories towards a 15% expansion in new affordable housing units and renewing 20% of existing community housing units across the country." ? Adam Vaughan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

"Signing this agreement will assist Prince Edward Island's significant efforts to increase the amount of affordable housing in our province. It is imperative that we continue to work to provide Islanders with secure and affordable housing in as timely a manner as possible. As a government, we will continue to work with the federal government and advocate on behalf of all Islanders to ensure our province participates to the fullest extent possible in opportunities offered through federal housing programs." ? Wade MacLauchlan, Premier of Prince Edward Island

"Affordable Housing investment creates healthy communities for all Islanders.  The province is laying the foundation for housing security through our Housing Action Plan and collaboration with various levels of government and the community." ? Tina Mundy, Minister of Family and Human Services.

"Today's joint provincial-federal investment of a minimum $15 million over 10 years, builds on the province's commitment to expand our affordable housing capacity, protect existing affordable housing stock, and to help those Islanders facing housing insecurities." ? Heath MacDonald, Minister of Finance

Quick facts:

• The $14.93 million? investment includes $7.47 million from the Government of Canada and $7.47 million from the Government of Prince Edward Island.
• In addition to new construction, investments under the NHS bilateral agreement will target the preservation of at least 936 existing community housing units in Prince Edward Island, not including investments under the Canada Housing Benefit.  
• The NHS is an ambitious 10-year, $40-billion+ plan that will reduce or eliminate housing need for more than 530,000 families across Canada, create 100,000 new housing units, as well as repair and renew more than 300,000 housing units and reduce chronic homelessness by 50 per cent.
• The NHS is built on strong partnerships between the federal, provincial and territorial governments, and continuous engagement with others, including municipalities, Indigenous governments and organizations, and the social and private housing sectors. This includes consultations with Canadians from all walks of life, and people with lived experience of housing need.
• All NHS investments delivered by the federal, provincial and territorial governments will respect the key principles of the NHS that support partnerships, people and communities.
• Prince Edward Island will develop and publish three-year action plans, beginning in 2019-2020, setting targets and outlining how it will use federal and cost-matched funding to achieve the desired outcomes.
• Since Budget 2016, the federal government has invested more than $27 million in housing in Prince Edward Island.

Associated links:

• As Canada's authority on housing, CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need, and offers unbiased housing research and advice to all levels of Canadian government, consumers and the housing industry. For more information, please visit cmhc.ca or follow us on Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.
• To find out more about Canada's National Housing Strategy, visit www.placetocallhome.ca.

SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation