Prince Albert Families With Low Incomes Have Improved Housing Supports

Released on June 8, 2022

Everyone in Canada deserves a safe and affordable place to call home.

Today, Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, along with George Chahal, Member of Parliament for Calgary Skyview, Prince Albert Northcote MLA Alana Ross, on behalf of Social Services Minister and Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Housing Corporation (SHC) Gene Makowsky, and representatives from River Bank Development Corporation (River Bank) marked the completion of Phases IV and V of the Homes of Hope project.

Through the Canada-Saskatchewan agreement under the National Housing Strategy, a more than $1 million investment has been provided for the Homes of Hope project.

Through Homes of Hope, River Bank renovates existing affordable houses to add an additional two to three bedrooms, for a total of four or five bedrooms per house. The houses are located in various neighbourhoods in Prince Albert and support large families with low incomes. River Bank also partnered with KidsFirst Prince Albert, Native Co-ordinating Council and Family Futures to connect families to a number of supports, including counselling, child development, early learning literacy, nutrition, home visits, mental health and addictions support and crisis intervention.

"Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home," said Hussen. "Our government will continue to help create jobs and improve the quality of life for those families who need it most. That is why we have created eight affordable homes in Prince Albert to accommodate larger families and this will go a long way in ensuring that parents and their children have the required space to grow and thrive. This is the National Housing Strategy at work."

"Safe and affordable housing is key to healthy and thriving families. With the help of our partners, eight new families here in Prince Albert now have a place to call their very own," said Member of Parliament for Calgary Skyview George Chahal. "The Government of Canada supports creating more affordable housing options for all Canadians and I'm proud to see important projects like Homes of Hope come to life. I am glad these families now have access to these safe and secure homes."

"Through our partnership with River Bank Development Corporation and CMHC, eight Prince Albert families now have the space they need to raise their families, plan for the future and build a life in our community," Ross said. "I thank River Bank for their hard work and leadership that has made an incredible difference in the lives of families in our community. I look forward to partnering again in the future as we work toward our shared goal of all residents having a safe and affordable place to call home."

"River Bank is pleased to work with the Government of Saskatchewan, the Government of Canada and the City of Prince Albert to develop affordable housing for families in Prince Albert," Riverbank Development Corporation Manager Brian Howell said "We noticed several years ago that many of our families required larger homes because of the number of children they have and received funding from the Rental Development Program to buy and renovate four units, increasing the number of bedrooms to four or five. We have continued with this theme for several years and when our final project, Homes of Home VI, is completed later this year, we will have 26 units committed to families. It has been one of our most successful projects and we look forward to our continuing partnerships with the three levels of government to provide decent, safe housing for our tenants."

Quick facts:

• Through the fourth and fifth phases of the Homes of Hope project, eight homes were renovated to support eight large families with low incomes.
• Since 2007, SHC has developed 210 affordable rental units for people who are vulnerable, at risk of homelessness or experiencing disabilities. Thirty-six of these units were developed in partnership with River Bank.
• Canada's National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year, $72+ billion plan that will give more Canadians a place to call home.
• Pursuant to the NHS, the Canada-Saskatchewan Bilateral Agreement will invest $449.9 million over the next 10 years, cost matched by the federal and provincial governments, in housing across the province. The Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan have reached agreement on the first three-year action plan.
• Canada’s National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year, $72+ billion plan that will give more Canadians a place to call home.

Related 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. CMHC's aim is that by 2030, everyone in Canada has a home they can afford, and that meets their needs. For more information, please visit 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.
• Under the Canada-Saskatchewan Bilateral Agreement, housing is a key priority in providing a better quality of life for Saskatchewan families and communities. Since 2007, the Government of Saskatchewan, through SHC, has invested $786 million to develop more than 12,000 housing units and repair nearly 5,500 homes. SHC has also invested more than $61 million to build nearly 300 units in residential care homes, and $430 million to improve provincially-owned housing. To learn more, visit www.saskatchewan.ca.  

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For more information, contact:

Kaitlyn Abel
Social Services
Regina
Phone: 306-787-0246
Email: kaitlyn.abel2@gov.sk.ca

Arevig Afarian
Office of the Minister for Housing and Diversity and Inclusion
Email: arevig.afarian@infc.gc.ca

Media Relations
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Email: media@cmhc-schl.gc.ca