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Governments fund more ‘Homes of Hope’ in Prince Albert; northern communities

Oct 11, 2018 | 2:42 PM

There will soon be more affordable housing solutions for families in greatest need in Prince Albert. The Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan invested nearly $2.39 million to help create 30 affordable housing units through six projects in five communities including Prince Albert, La Loche and Île-à-la-Crosse.

River Bank Development Corporation will receive $465,000 for their Homes of Hope project consisting of four single-family homes for larger families in Prince Albert.

“We are finding that’s where the need is in the rental market for lower income families,” Brian Howell, manager of Riverbank Development Corp. said. “Families with children are having a hard time finding adequate space so that’s what our current project is about.”

In addition to helping families find housing, the Homes of Hope project also connects clients with social services in the community including Family Futures, Native Co-ordinating Council and Kids First – which is a voluntary home-based early childhood development program offered to families who would benefit from additional support in the areas that have an impact on child health and development and family well-being. Howell said adding four more homes will bring the total number of houses available through the Homes of Hope project to about 14.

“The government puts in about 70 per cent of the funding and we do the rest. So, we’ll have a mortgage on four existing homes we will purchase, upgrade and then rent out…and they will rent out quite quickly,” Howell said.

“The Government of Canada’s Housing Strategy will remove 530,000 families from housing need and cut chronic homelessness in half,” Minister Ralph Goodale representing the federal government said in a news release.

The communities of La Loche and Île-à-la-Crosse will receive $450,000 toward the development of two single-family units under the Trades Training Program, operated by local housing authorities.

 

teena.monteleone@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @TeenaMonteleone