News

New Affordable Homes for Seniors in Powassan

POWASSAN – MPP Vic Fedeli is pleased to announce that both the provincial government and federal government invested almost $1.6 million to help build The Meadow View, a new building that will offer 25 new affordable homes for seniors in Powassan.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in challenges and obstacles for seniors across Northern Ontario, and supporting our most vulnerable has never been more important,” said Vic Fedeli, MPP for Nipissing. “It’s encouraging to see all levels of government work together to create much-needed affordable housing for seniors in Powassan.”

Located at 175 Big Bend Avenue and operated by the Non-Profit Organization for Almaguin Housing Inc. (NOAH), the three-storey apartment building will have a total of 50 units, 25 of which will be affordable bachelor apartments. All units will include accessibility features such as walk-in showers with built-in seats and “elevator” shower heads. The apartments will also be air conditioned and include a full kitchen with undercabinet lighting, stainless steel appliances and a glass top stove.

The Powassan Medical Centre is nearby, as are pharmacies, shopping, a public library, sports complex and curling club. It’s also a short walk to the Powassan Mountain Conservation Area where there are trails, low impact recreational opportunities and spectacular scenic vistas.

Funding for this project is being delivered through the Canada-Ontario Community Housing Initiative and the Ontario Priorities Housing Initiative, which are joint programs by the federal and provincial governments.

Quick Facts:

• The Canada-Ontario Community Housing Initiative (COCHI) provides funding to repair, regenerate and expand community housing so tenants can live in a home that is affordable. It can also be used to support community housing providers whose original program arrangements are expiring and help them to become more sustainable.
• The Ontario Priorities Housing Initiative (OPHI) provides flexible funding to address local housing priorities and improve access to affordable housing options. It will help to increase affordable housing supply and improve the state of repair of affordable and social housing stock. It provides cost-matched funding to service managers and Indigenous program administrators.
• COCHI and OPHI are programs under the CMHC-Ontario Bilateral Agreement. This 10-year agreement provides more than $5.75 billion to protect, renew and expand community housing, support Ontario’s priorities related to housing repair, construction and affordability, and deliver direct affordability support to Ontarians who need housing.
• 1 billion through the Social Services Relief Fund to help municipalities and Indigenous program partners support shelters, create longer-term housing solutions and help vulnerable Ontarians affected by COVID-19, including those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The District of Parry Sound Social Services Administration Board has been allocated over $2.8 million through this fund. The Social Services Relief Fund is funded in part through the joint federal-provincial Safe Restart Agreement.
• Ontario allocated nearly $1.8 billion in 2020-21 as part of its Community Housing Renewal Strategy and response to COVID-19 to help sustain, repair and grow community housing and help end homelessness. This includes the Social Services Relief Fund.
• Ontario has provided $147 million to help expand access to the provincial mental health and addictions system in every community. This funding builds on the province’s $176 million investment in the Roadmap to Wellness, a comprehensive plan to build a fully connected mental health and addictions system across the province. The District of Parry Sound Social Services Administration Board has received $206,243 as part of this investment.

Associated Link:

• Ontario is committed to increasing housing supply across the province, while getting the best value for taxpayers. Cutting red tape will bring housing to market faster – leading to lower housing costs and helping people keep more of their hard-earned dollars. For more information on affordable housing in Ontario, visit ontario.ca/affordablehousing or follow us on Twitter.