NEWS RELEASE COMMUNIQUÉ For Immediate Release 2009PREM0050-000481 October 14, 2009 Office of the Premier Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation B.C., CANADA PARTNER TO RENEW SOCIAL HOUSING VANCOUVER The Governments of Canada and British Columbia announced today 101 renovation and retrofit projects totalling approximately $177 million, which is cost-shared under the Housing Renovation Partnership, a jointly funded program to renovate and retrofit social housing over the next two years creating an estimated 1,130 jobs. Federal funding for this initiative was made available through Canada s Economic Action Plan, the federal government s plan to stimulate the economy and create jobs during the global recession and was matched by British Columbia through the Province s capital infrastructure program. Overall, the Economic Action Plan includes more than $2 billion for new and existing social housing, plus up to $2 billion in loans to municipalities for housing-related infrastructure. Across Canada, the federal and provincial governments are contributing equally to the investment of $850 million for the renovation and retrofit of existing social housing to help house seniors, single parent families, recent immigrants and Aboriginal households, under the amended Affordable Housing Program Agreements. The majority of the Housing Renovation Partnership funding, approximately $164 million, will be directed toward repairs at 81 social housing developments. The remainder of the funding, approximately $13 million, is being allocated to renovations that are underway at provincially-owned Single Room Occupancy (SRO) hotels. The Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, on behalf of The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), and Premier Gordon Campbell made the announcement today at Steeves Manor, a 196-unit housing development in, the first of the 81 social housing developments to have renovations funded under this initiative. These renovation and retrofit projects will improve the quality of life for residents by keeping their homes safe and affordable, said Minister Day. It is also a good way to get the local economy moving because it puts construction workers and trades people to work quickly.
- 2 - Working in partnership with the Government of Canada, we are revitalizing social housing sites in need of repair and renovation in communities throughout the province, extending the life of these homes for British Columbians for years to come, said Premier Campbell. The Housing Renovation Partnership will also build on additional investments the Province announced to-date to stimulate the B.C. economy, which in total will create over 27,000 jobs in communities across the province. In B.C., this Housing Renovation Partnership is part of an overall $14-billion capital infrastructure program supported by the Province that will create up to 88,000 jobs and help build vital public infrastructure in every region of the province. Canada s Economic Action Plan builds on the Government of Canada s commitment in 2008 of more than $1.9 billion over the next five years to improve and build new affordable housing and help the homeless. Through Housing Matters BC, the Province is addressing a range of housing needs, from homelessness to affordable rental housing and homeownership. In 2009, the provincial housing budget is approximately $450 million, more than three times as much as in 2001. To find out more about affordable housing in B.C., visit www.bchousing.org. More information on this and other measures in Canada s Economic Action Plan can be found at www.actionplan.gc.ca. To find out more about how the Government of Canada and CMHC are working to build stronger homes and communities for all Canadians, call CMHC at 1-800-668-2642 or visit www.cmhc.ca/housingactionplan. Media Contact: Michelle Bakos Press Secretary Office of Minister Finley 819 994-2482 michelle.bakos@hrsdc-rhdsc.gc.ca -30- Bridgitte Anderson Press Secretary Office of the Premier 604 307-7177 Susan Thom Executive Director Corporate Communications BC Housing 604 230-1301 Charles Sauriol Senior Media Relations Officer Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation 613 748-2799 csauriol@cmhc.ca Backgrounder attached.
- 3 - BACKGROUNDER HOUSING RENOVATION PARTNERSHIP FOR SOCIAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS The following 81 social housing developments will receive funding from the Government of Canada and the province of British Columbia to undergo renovations and retrofits: City Development Renovation type 100 Mile House Pioneer Haven Energy Abbotsford Cedarhurst Repipe, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, Electrical, Energy Abbotsford Fernview Ventilation, Electrical, Energy Aldergrove Alderhaven Energy, Ventilation, Energy Burnaby Concordia Court Roofing, Lighting, Energy Burnaby Doug Drummond Manor Building Envelope Renewal, Energy Burnaby Hall Tower 1 Energy, Fire Protection, Mechanical, Electrical, Energy Burnaby Laurelynn Place Energy, Fire Protection, Mechanical, Electrical, Energy Burnaby Lions Mulberry Place Mechanical, Energy Burnaby Lions Thurston Mechanical, Building Envelope, Energy Place/Altesse House Burnaby Stratford Gardens Building Envelope Renewal, Energy Burns Lake McKenna Place Energy, Building Envelope Renewal Castlegar Maranatha Court Energy Fort St. John Fort St. John Houses Energy, Mechanical, Building Envelope Kamloops Hilltop Apartments Mechanical, Energy Keremeos Mountain View Manor Energy Lake Country Cedar Court Energy Langley Eastleigh Crescent Mechanical, Energy Lillooet Red Rock Manor Energy Maple Ridge Maple Towers Generator set, Elevator, Boilers, Energy Mission Windebank Village Energy and Building Envelope New Westminster Ross Towers Energy, Site Services, Elevator Upgrade, Generator Set, Balconies, Concrete Repair, Energy North Capilano House Mechanical, Energy North Grant McNeil Energy North Lions Manor/Mt Seymour Elevator, Lighting, Energy Lions Penticton Penticton Retirement Centre Building Envelope, Energy, Life Safety Port Alberni Garden Apartments Building Envelope, Energy Port Alberni Port Alberni Townhouses Energy Port Alberni Red Oaks/Harbour View Energy Port Coquitlam Tamarak Terrace Apartments Mechanical, Energy
- 4 - Prince George Alward Place Windows, Mechanical, Energy Prince George Strathwood Apartments Building Envelope, Energy, Energy Prince George Vanier Energy Prince Rupert Mariposa Gardens Energy, Crime Prevention Through Prince Rupert Pineridge Terrace Energy Quesnel Fraser Village Homes Building Envelope, Energy Revelstoke Monashee Court Energy, Elevators Richmond Rosewood Towers Windows, Energy Life Safety and Crime Prevention Through Richmond Rosewood Village Energy Salt Spring Island Croftonbrook Energy, Building Envelope Saanich Battin Fielding Energy and Energy Saanich Hampton House Energy, Roof, Generator Set, Building Envelope Surrey Keikenow - 121st Street Energy, Building Envelope Surrey Len Shepherd Manor Energy, Fire Protection, Mechanical, Electrical, Energy Surrey Jessica Place Mechanical, Window Replacement, Energy Surrey Ted Kuhn Extension Energy, Building Envelope, Repipe, Sprinklers, Energy Surrey Ted Kuhn Tower 1 Energy, Building Envelope, Energy Terrace The Willows Building Envelope, Repipe, Energy B'nai Brith Place Mechanical, Energy Boundry Road Energy, Mechanical, Building Envelope Brant Villa Windows, Energy and Repipe Burlington Housing Co-Op Balconies, Energy Carolina Court Fire Alarm, Crime Prevention Through Cedar Place Roof, Perimeter Drainage, Windows, Energy Champlain Place Building Envelope Renewal, Energy Chelsea Lane Roof, Insulation, Lighting, Energy Chimo Terrace Mechanical, Roof, Fire Alarm, Energy Chinatown Lions Manor I Mechanical, Energy Chinatown Lions Manor II Mechanical, Energy Chinese Freemasons Manor Mechanical, Lighting, Energy Clarke Manor Mechanical, Lighting, Energy Culloden Court Windows, Fire Alarms, Crime Prevention Through Garden Villa Energy Killarney Gardens Windows, Energy, Roof, Fire Alarm Mount Pleasant Lions Mechanical, Energy Manor Lionsview Building I Mechanical, Energy Lionsview Building 2 Mechanical, Energy
- 5 - MacLean Park Building Envelope, Energy, Site Services, Energy MacLean Park Ext Building Envelope, Energy, Site Services, Energy Nicholson Tower Fire Alarms, Elevators, Repipe, Crime Prevention Through Orchard Park Building Envelope, Repipe, Energy Rupert Lane Windows & Doors, Energy Shon Yee Place Mechanical, Lighting, Energy Skeena Terrace Building Envelope Renewal/Energy Stamps Place Building Envelope, Energy, Repipe, Fire Exits, Electrical Service Upgrades, Energy Steeves Manor Building Envelope Renewal, Energy Sunset Towers Energy, Fire Protection, Mechanical, Electrical, Energy Vernon Yin Ho Gardens Mechanical, Energy Victoria Evergreen Terrace Building Envelope Renewal, Energy Victoria Sitkum Lodge Mechanical, Energy West Sunnyside Manor Building Envelope Renewal, Fire Alarms Single Room Occupancy (SRO) Hotels New Westminster Arco Hotel Carl Rooms College Place Dominion Hotel Gastown Hotel Marble Arch Hotel Marr Hotel Orange Hall Orwell Hotel Park Hotel Pender Hotel Rainier Hotel Rice Block, The Roosevelt Savoy Hotel St. Helen's Hotel Tamura Walton Hotel Washington Hotel Shaldon For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province s website at www.gov.bc.ca.