Ministry of Energy and Mines
Minister Responsible for Housing
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Affordable seniors' housing opens in Enderby
ENDERBY - The governments of Canada and British Columbia, along with
community partners, celebrated the official opening of Enderby
Memorial Terrace, which provides 15 apartments of affordable housing
for seniors and people with disabilities.
"Through Economic Action Plan 2012, our government is taking concrete
action to help ensure economic recovery and create the conditions for
long-term growth," said Colin Mayes, member of Parliament for
Okanagan-Shuswap, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister
of Human Resources and Skills Development and Minister Responsible
for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). "Funding projects
like Enderby Memorial Terrace will not only improve the overall
housing conditions for seniors and people with disabilities in
Enderby but also help stimulate the local economy and create jobs."
"Congratulations to the Enderby Seniors Housing Society for
successfully bringing much needed affordable housing to Enderby,"
said George Abbott, Minister of Education and MLA for Shuswap.
"Enderby Memorial Terrace is the last building to officially open
under the Olympic Legacy Affordable Housing initiative, which took
temporary modular homes used to house athletes during the 2010 Winter
Games and reconfigured them to create 156 new affordable housing
units in communities across B.C. This is an example of one of the
innovative housing solutions being used throughout our province."
Through an amendment to the Canada-British Columbia Affordable
Housing Agreement, the Government of Canada provided $1,113,750 for
this project. The Government of British Columbia provided $2,878,137
towards the capital cost - the land valued at $355,000, and annual
operational funding of $31,452.
Provincial funding for Enderby Memorial Terrace, located at 708
Granville Ave., was partly provided through a provincial initiative
to re-use temporary modular units from the Whistler Athletes' Village
from the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. In
total, 320 temporary modular homes were converted to create 156 new
affordable homes in Enderby, Saanich, Sechelt, Surrey, Chetwynd and
Chilliwack.
Enderby Memorial Terrace is operated by Enderby Seniors Housing
Society. Established in 2008, Enderby Seniors Housing Society is a
non-profit organization created to build, manage and operate seniors'
independent housing in Enderby. The two-storey building was designed
to accommodate the society's future plans to expand the building to
provide assisted living for independent seniors.
"Enderby Memorial Terrace represents a lot of hard work and volunteer
hours from our dedicated society members," said Patrick Strougler,
president and executive director of Enderby Seniors Housing Society.
"We know that our tenants are greatly benefiting from the
affordability of their homes, and we are confident that our future
plans for an assisted-living development on this site will come to
fruition. When everything is complete, seniors in our community will
have access to Enderby's version of a campus of care clustered along
Highway 97A."
The Seniors' Rental Housing initiative was a result of a $365-million
joint investment under an amendment to the Canada-British Columbia
Affordable Housing Agreement, which included funding through Canada's
Economic Action Plan and by the government of British Columbia.
This initiative, initially announced by the two levels of government
on April 8, 2009, provided $123.6 million, including $104 million for
seniors and $19.6 million for persons with disabilities, to develop
approximately 1,300 new affordable rental housing units, which has
helped to stimulate local economies in smaller communities across
B.C. Under terms of the agreement, the provincial and federal
governments provided matching contributions of $61.8 million.
Canada's Economic Action Plan is built 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. It
provided $400 million, over two years, to build new rental housing
for low-income seniors. Overall, the Economic Action Plan included $2
billion for the construction of new, and the renovation of, existing
social housing, plus $2 billion in low-cost loans to municipalities
for housing-related infrastructure.
A new agreement signed in July 2011 by both orders of government
confirms B.C.'s allocation of the remaining three years of the $1.9
billion, which amounts to a further $90 million in federal funding
for British Columbians in housing need. With the provincial
contribution of $90 million in matching funds, there is a combined
investment of $180 million to support housing programs that help B.C.
residents access safe, affordable housing.
For more information on this and other measures in Canada's Economic
Action Plan, visit: www.actionplan.gc.ca
To find out how CMHC is working to build stronger homes and
communities for all Canadians, call CMHC at 1 800 668-2642 or visit:
www.cmhc.ca/housingactionplan
Over the last decade, the Province has invested $2.8 billion to
provide affordable housing for low-income individuals, seniors and
families. This year, more than 97,000 B.C. households will benefit
from provincial social housing programs and services. To find out
more, visit: www.bchousing.org
A backgrounder follows.
Media inquiries:
Seumas Gordon
BC Housing
604 439-4789
Andrea Scott
CMHC Communications
604 737-4064
Marian Ngo
Press Secretary
Office of Minister Finley
819 994-2482
Connect with the Province of B.C. at: www.gov.bc.ca/connect
BACKGROUNDER
For Immediate Release
2012ENER0080-000985
July 10, 2012
Ministry of Energy and Mines
Minister Responsible for Housing
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Enderby Memorial Terrace
Enderby Memorial Terrace, located at 708 Granville Ave., Enderby, is
an affordable housing development providing 15 apartments for seniors
and people with disabilities.
The two-storey building contains 15 bachelor units, a common
kitchen/dining area, laundry facility, office and storage space.
This is the last affordable housing development to officially open
under the Province's Olympic Legacy Affordable Housing initiative. In
total, 320 modular homes from the Whistler Athletes' Village were
converted to create 156 new affordable homes in Enderby, Saanich,
Sechelt, Surrey, Chetwynd and Chilliwack.
Modular housing has been used extensively for affordable housing
developments as it allows construction to take place in a factory,
which means less dependence on weather conditions. The modular units
meet EnerGuide 80 standards and are designed to be easily accessible
for seniors and people with disabilities - this includes room sizes
that allow for wheelchair access and manoeuvring, shelves and light
switches at an accessible height and bathroom grab bars or step-in
showers.
Partners and Funding:
The total capital cost for Enderby Memorial Terrace is $4.3 million.
* The Government of Canada, through Canada Mortgage and Housing
Corporation (CMHC), provided $1,113,750 under Canada's Economic
Action Plan.
* The Government of British Columbia provided $2,878,137 towards the
capital cost - the land valued at $355,000, and annual operational
funding of $31,452.
Media inquiries:
Seumas Gordon
BC Housing
604 439-4789
Andrea Scott
CMHC Communications
604 737-4064
Marian Ngo
Press Secretary
Office of Minister Finley
819 994-2482
Connect with the Province of B.C. at: www.gov.bc.ca/connect
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