Released on April 11, 2019
The Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan are collaborating with Habitat for Humanity (Habitat) in Moose Jaw to help support another Saskatchewan family in need of a safe and affordable place to call home.Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, on behalf of Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, and Member of the Legislative Assembly for Moose Jaw Wakamow Greg Lawrence on behalf of Social Services Minister and Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Housing Corporation Paul Merriman, officially announced the construction of the Habitat for Humanity home today.
This Habitat for Humanity build consists of a three-bedroom, two-storey home located at 914 Ominica Street West. Together, the main and upper floors of the home will total approximately 1,456 square feet or 135 square metres.
“Over the years, our government has teamed up with Habitat for Humanity to create safe and affordable housing for Saskatchewan families, and this one is no different,” said Goodale. “There is a great deal of work and co-operation that takes place for each one of these builds. This investment will create a new home for a deserving family, a place they can proudly call their own. Our government is, and will always be a proud partner.”
“We are pleased to work with Habitat for Humanity and its partners to bring lasting change to another Saskatchewan family in need of safe, stable and affordable housing,” Lawrence said. “Moose Jaw is a diverse community that works and builds together, and this sod-turning is another example of this commitment in action. Our government continues to stand with Habitat, and with the people of Saskatchewan to make great things happen across the province.”
“We are very proud of everything our Moose Jaw chapter has accomplished over the past 11 years,” Habitat for Humanity Regina Chief Executive Officer Kelly Holmes-Binns said. “To be building Habitat Moose Jaw’s ninth home is a great testament to the committee, donors, sponsors, volunteers and community who are committed to changing the lives of hard-working families through affordable homeownership. Thank you to everyone who has made this day possible.”
Quick facts:
- Each partner family selected by Habitat contributes 500 partnering hours in building their home or other Habitat homes. The family purchases their home at fair market value, paying an interest-free, zero down-payment mortgage set at 25 per cent of their annual gross income. Upon completion, the affordable no-interest mortgage is provided by Habitat to partner families with mortgage payments going back for future builds. To learn more about Habitat for Humanity and their work across Saskatchewan, visit www.habitat.ca.
- The Government of Canada, through Canada and Mortgage Housing Corporation (CMHC), along with the Government of Saskatchewan, through Saskatchewan Housing Corporation, are jointly contributing $65,000 to build the home through the 2014-2019 Investment in Affordable Housing Agreement.
- The Government of Canada is currently rolling out its National Housing Strategy, an ambitious 10-year, $40 billion plan that will create 100,000 new housing units and lift 530,000 families out of housing need, as well as repair and renew more than 300,000 housing units and reduce chronic homelessness by 50 per cent.
- The province’s overall commitment to Habitat totals $10.85 million since March 2009. This investment supports Saskatchewan’s Housing Strategy goals of ensuring Saskatchewan people have access to affordable, safe, secure and stable housing.
- 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 www.cmhc.ca or follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook. To find out more about the National Housing Strategy, visit www.placetocallhome.ca.
- In October 2012, the Government of Saskatchewan released the Saskatchewan Plan for Growth: Vision 2020 and Beyond, which sets out the government’s vision for a province of 1.2 million people by 2020. The plan identifies principles, goals and actions to ensure Saskatchewan is capturing the opportunities and meeting the challenges of a growing province. Since 2007, the Government of Saskatchewan has invested more than $780 million to develop or repair more than 16,000 housing units across our province. To learn more, visit www.saskatchewan.ca.
For more information, contact:
Valeria Glazer
Office of the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development
Ottawa
Phone: 819-654-5546
Email: valerie.glazer@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
Leonard Catling
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Calgary
Phone: 604-787-1787
Email: lcatling@cmhc-schl.gov.sk.ca
Leya Moore
Social Services
Regina
Phone: 306-787-3610
Email: leya.moore@gov.sk.ca