Officials gathered at The Bridge Youth Resource Centre on August 28 for a press conference that announced nearly three million dollars of new funding from the Canada- Ontario Community Housing Initiative going towards the building of eighteen affordable housing units in Leamington.
With cheque in hand, the announcement was made by Matthew Rae, Parliamentary Assistant to the Honorable Rob Flack, Ontario’s Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and will provide the final financial installment necessary for the completion of a fifty mixed-income unit complex on lands abutting The Bridge Youth Resource Centre to the east.
Executive Director of the Bridge Youth Resource Centre Krista Rempel is pictured showing Matthew Rae through one of the 18 affordable units that will be available for rent at the end of the calendar year.
“Together, the Municipality of Leamington and City of Windsor are taking action to create more affordable housing and support a growing community,” said Rae. “The Ontario government will continue supporting municipalities by providing the tools and critical housing-enabling investments needed to get more housing built across the province.”
The 18 one-bedroom units will offer approximately 560 square feet of living space for youth, adults, seniors, low-income workers and individuals facing addiction challenges, with 12 of the 18 units offering greater accessibility for renters with special requirements.
Krista Rempel, Executive Director of the Bridge Youth Resource Centre, spoke at the announcement and expressed her gratitude for the funding that will cover the final costs of the multi-unit housing project.
“The support we received for our Tiny Homes Community Initiative helped to turn our vision into reality. The funding allows us to create more than just homes–we are creating a community where youth and individuals can find stability, security and the opportunity to build a stronger future.”
Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Matthew Rae is pictured announcing 2.9 million dollars of new funding for local affordable housing through the Canada-Ontario Housing Initiative (COCHI) at the Bridge Youth Resource Centre on Sherk Street.
Rempel expected that the new units would be available for rent later in the year and expressed that pricing for each unit would be set by the City of Windsor.
Many locally elected representatives were in attendance for the funding announcement, including Hilda MacDonald, Mayor of the Municipality of Leamington and Warden of the County of Essex. Like Rempel, MacDonald was appreciative of how the funds from the upper two levels of government would make an impact on housing in the municipality.
MacDonald said, “These 18 new homes will provide more than a place to live. They will offer stability, dignity, and an opportunity for people to build a stronger future. We are proud to see this innovative project taking shape here in Leamington and grateful for the investments that are helping address the need for affordable housing across our region.”
