Ottawa contributes $25.8M to Misericordia affordable seniors housing complex

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This article was published 10/08/2021 (1752 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

More federal money poured into Winnipeg Tuesday with the announcement of $25.8 million for affordable seniors housing.

The money from the National Housing Strategy’s National Housing Co-investment Fund is going to help build Misericordia Terrace, a 97-unit assisted-living centre under construction at 691 Wolseley Ave.

“Protecting the most vulnerable Canadians is our government’s top priority,” said Ahmed Hussen, the minister responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp., as well as families, children and social development.

“One of the most effective ways to do so is to ensure vulnerable seniors in our community have access to affordable housing that meets their needs,” he said at a press conference Tuesday with the project’s construction crane in the background.

On Monday, he visited a daycare to announce $1.2 billion in child-care funding for Manitoba to take part in the national child-care strategy. He’s been joined for what political watchers are calling a pre-election spending spree by Winnipeg Liberal MPs Jim Carr, Terry Duguid and Kevin Lamoureux.

“Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home,” Hussen said. The goal of the national housing strategy is to demonstrate the federal government’s return to leadership and making significant investments in affordable housing, he said.

“For 10 years, the federal government was absent from the affordable housing game,” he said, referring to the former Conservative government under Stephen Harper.

“Through the national housing strategy, our government has ensured that not only do we provide the leadership necessary to push for affordable housing in Canada but we bring significant resources to the table.”

Misericordia Terrace has been in the planning stages for the last six years is expected to open in the spring of 2023, said Caroline DeKeyster, president and CEO of Misericordia Health Centre.

“Affordable assisted-living for older adults is very much needed in our neighbourhood,” DeKeyster said. When it opens, 30 of the 97 units in the West Broadway neighbourhood will be leased at affordable rates established at 77.5 per cent of the area’s Median Market Rent and the project will be required to maintain affordable rents for the 30 units for at least 20 years.

“We see clients every day in our transitional-care programs who would benefit by having access to financially-assisted rent,” said DeKeyster.

All of Misericordia Terrace’s units will be accessible, its common area will be barrier-free, and it will have an expansive second-floor rooftop patio and solarium with a skywalk to Misericordia Health Centre and a connection to Misericordia Place personal-care home.

“We believe it’s important for our government to invest in affordable housing solutions that create better living standards for our seniors,” said Hussen.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca