Governments chip in for housing at Portage Place, Market Lands, other city locations

A new government partnership will aim to speed up home construction, largely in downtown Winnipeg, with a goal to produce at least 740 affordable housing units.

The Build Canada Homes partnership, funded by the governments of Canada, Manitoba and Winnipeg, will support at least 821 housing units. The vast majority (811) will be in Winnipeg, while the rest will be added in Swan River.

Federal Housing Minister Gregor Robertson said the partnership will tackle substantial housing needs in Manitoba, at a time home prices are out of reach for many Canadians.

“Far too many people (are) sleeping outside, sleeping rough, unsheltered. Far too many people … can’t find a home they can afford,” said Robertson.

Many of the housing units will be targeted to low-income people, the homeless, newcomers, veterans, and Indigenous communities.

Through the agreement, the federal housing agency will provide up to $104.7 million, while the province will provide up to $21.3 million for capital costs and $52 million to cover operating costs for supportive and transitional homes, a federal news release states. The city will provide up to $22.1 million in previously approved capital funding.

The money will combine with about $196 million from third-party financing, which draws from federal housing programs, non-profit and private partners. That’s expected to spark almost $396 million in housing investments, the release said.

Manitoba Housing Minister Bernadette Smith said nine projects will be supported.

“We’re hoping to have shovels in the ground, construction starting as early as March of next year and then (around June 30), 2029 … for them to be … completed,” said Smith.

The province said the project will support the highly anticipated construction of about 207 homes in the $650-million redevelopment of Portage Place, where the announcement took place Tuesday.

“In two years, (this site) will be underneath a 19-storey … residential tower … A model for fast-tracked delivery in housing,” said Jim Ludlow, president of True North Real Estate Development.

The 1.2-million-square-foot mixed-use redevelopment will include a health-care services tower, main-floor grocery store, community centres, office space for social agencies and other services. True North partnered with Southern Chiefs’ Organization to create a non-profit called TN-SCO Housing 92 Inc., which will deliver and manage the housing.

Multiple speakers described that project, and the agreement, as examples of economic reconciliation.

“We can build more than just housing. We can create culturally grounded communities, good jobs, lasting economic opportunities,” said Jerry Daniels, grand chief of SCO.

While stating Winnipeg still lacks affordable homes, Winnipeg’s mayor said this agreement marks an important step toward meeting the need.

“Downtown Winnipeg is undergoing a transformation and new housing is at the heart of that transformation,” said Mayor Scott Gillingham.

The funding will also support 126 housing units at Market Lands North, 148 units at Market Lands North Tower, 116 units through Main Street Project, 55 units being developed by the Eritrean community, 25 units for Homes for Heroes (which supports veterans), 105 units proposed by the Hadish Meseret community, 10 units for the Swan Valley Crisis Centre and 29 units being developed by Living God Church.

The overall housing will include at least 206 supportive/ transitional homes and 87 homes for people with “very low” incomes, said Smith.

“Modern methods of construction” will be used for at least 100 of the homes, to help get them built quicker, she said. Building Canada Homes uses that term to describe modular and factory-built housing, among other “innovative” techniques.

“We need to build faster and we need to build housing that Manitobans can actually afford,” said Smith.

The province said the developments will be owned and operated by non-profit, Indigenous, Black-led and other housing organizations, which is expected to help keep them affordable in the future.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

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