October 14, 2009
Burns Lake Social Housing Benefits from B.C.-Canada Partnership

BURNS LAKE – Burns Lake has received $1,114,400 through the Housing Renovation Partnership (HRP), a joint agreement announced today by the Governments of Canada and British Columbia to provide cost-shared funding to renovate and retrofit social housing in the greatest need of repair.

"With an additional $1-billion injection of funding, the Government of Canada is working with the provinces and territories to ensure that important upgrades to social housing units get underway quickly," says Prince George-Peace River MP Jay Hill. "We are improving the quality of affordable housing while delivering jobs that will stimulate the economy now."

“The provincial and federal governments are working together to improve the sustainability and quality of our social housing, support job creation, and stimulate our local economy through the construction industry,” says Nechako Lakes MLA John Rustad.

McKenna Place, located at 3404 Kalum Street, will receive the $1,114,400 for building envelope improvements, energy retrofit, and general sustainability enhancements. Sustainability enhances the energy performance of the building with the installation of low flow fixtures, boiler upgrades, lighting retrofits, building air sealing, and improvements to the exterior envelope for enhanced thermal performance.

Of the total $176.76 million announced, the majority of the funding, $163.7 million will be directed toward repairs at 81 social housing developments. The remainder of the funding, $13.06 million is being allocated to renovations that are underway at provincially-owned Single Room Occupancy (SRO) hotels.

The funding was made available as a result of a $365-million joint investment under an amendment to the Canada-British Columbia Affordable Housing Agreement which includes funding through Canada’s Economic Action Plan and by the Government of British Columbia.

This new initiative is part of an overall $14-billion capital infrastructure program launched by the Province that will create up to 88,000 jobs over three years and help build vital public infrastructure in every region of the province.

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.

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.  For more information on Canada’s Economic Action Plan, call 1-800-O Canada or visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.

-30-