MEADOW LAKE, SK, May 24, 2024 /CNW/ - Women and children fleeing interpersonal violence will soon have access to new affordable rental units in Meadow Lake in part thanks to investments by the governments of Canada and Saskatchewan.  

Today, Minister of Trade and Export Development and MLA for Meadow Lake Jeremy Harrison, on behalf of Minister of Social Services and Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Housing Corporation Gene Makowsky, joined representatives from Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC) to announce the construction of a second-stage fourplex to house women and children affected by interpersonal violence.

Second stage housing provides safe, affordable, longer-term support for women and their children to break the cycle of violence and help them rebuild their lives. Clients receive counselling, connections to education and employment and programs for their children. 

The new fourplex will include four three-bedroom affordable rental units. Three units will be rented to families, and one will be rented by the room to three individuals. Support services will be provided to residents by MLTC and other community-based organizations.

MLTC also operates the Waskoosis Shelter in Meadow Lake. The new second-stage units will provide stability and support to women and children affected by violence, and make way for new admissions to Waskoosis. 

Construction of the new fourplex is expected to be complete in spring 2025.

Funding provided for the project includes:    

• $877,821 of joint funding through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) Saskatchewan Bi-lateral Agreement under the National Housing Strategy (NHS) and,
• $300,000 from MLTC.

"Everyone deserves a safe place to call home. That is why the federal government is stepping up to support women and their children fleeing violence and funding a new fourplex building in Meadow Lake with build in supports. – The Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, Minister responsible for PrairiesCan and Minister responsible for CanNor

"Our government is proud to support this very important project which will provide women and children in vulnerable situations with a safe, stable and affordable place to live. We value our partnership with the Meadow Lake Tribal Council and thank them for their hard work and dedication to their community." – The Honourable Gene Makowsky, Minister of Social Services and Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Housing Corporation (SHC)  

"Our new second stage housing project will further support women and their families who have moved away from their community and want to start over in Meadow Lake. They will be given the supports to break the cycle of interpersonal violence and access to counselling, childcare, education and training opportunities." – Marcia Mirasty, Senior Director of Health, Meadow Lake Tribal Council

• Canada's National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year, $82-plus billion plan that will give more Canadians a place to call home.  
  • NHS is built on strong partnerships between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments, and continuous engagement with municipalities, Indigenous governments and organizations, and the social and private housing sectors. It was created after consultations with Canadians from all walks of life, including those who have experienced housing need. 
  • All NHS investments delivered by the federal, provincial, and territorial governments will respect the key principles of NHS that support partnerships, people, and communities.  
    
    
• As of December 31, 2023, the Government of Canada has committed over $42.99 billion to support the creation of almost 152,000 units and the repair of over 270,000 units. These measures prioritize those in greatest need, including seniors, Indigenous Peoples, people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and women and children fleeing violence.
  
  
• In 2019, the Government of Canada and the Government of Saskatchewan entered into an agreement through the National Housing Strategy. The Canada-Saskatchewan Bilateral Agreement will invest $585 million over 10 years, which is cost matched between the federal and provincial governments.
  
  
• All funding provided under the NHS is cost-shared 50/50 by the federal and provincial governments across a broad spectrum of programs. While funding under the Rental Development Program (RDP) may reflect a 100 per cent federal contribution, other programs delivered under the NHS – SP may be 100 per cent provincially funded.
  
  
• The RDP prioritizes funding to develop affordable rental housing for households who are "hard-to-house" in Saskatchewan with incomes under the Saskatchewan Household Income Maximums (SHIM)-Low. The RDP may fund up to 70 per cent of a project's capital cost.
  
  
• MLTC has operated in Meadow Lake since 1981 and has operated the Waskoosis Shelter since 1992. SHC and CMHC provided $1,333,947 for the construction of a new Waskoosis shelter, through the Shelter Enhancement Program (SEP), in 2020. The new building has 21 beds in six bedrooms, accommodating up to six families at a time.

• Visit Canada.ca/housing for the most requested Government of Canada housing information.  
• As Canada's authority on housing, CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need, and offers unbiased housing research and advice to all levels of Canadian government, consumers and the housing industry. CMHC's aim is that everyone in Canada has a home they can afford and that meets their needs. For more information, please visit cmhc.ca or follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook. 
• To find out more about the National Housing Strategy, visit www.placetocallhome.ca 
• Check out the National Housing Strategy Housing Funding Initiatives Map to see affordable housing projects that have been developed across Canada.   
  • In November 2019, the Government of Saskatchewan released Saskatchewan's Growth Plan: the Next Decade of Growth 2020-2030, which sets out the Government's vision for a province of 1.4 million people by 2030. The Plan identifies principles, goals and actions to ensure Saskatchewan is capturing the opportunities and meeting the challenges of a growing province. To learn more, visit www.saskatchewan.ca.       

SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)