The Ontario government is providing $340,000 to help create 15 affordable housing units in Paris in the County of Brant to support people with accessibility needs, as well as individuals and families who have experienced domestic violence, and people of Indigenous ancestry.
The new, four-storey apartment building, managed by the City of Brantford, has a total of 49 units and will offer accessible living with barrier-free apartments. It includes units specially designed for people experiencing sensory loss, such as low vision and hearing. The apartment building also includes affordable rentals for survivors of domestic violence, Indigenous people, and small families with mixed-income levels. Some households are also receiving rent assistance and subsidies.
“Having served as County Councillor and now as MPP, I understand the importance of affordable housing. This is another solid step that our government is taking to enable the building of 1.5 million housing units and to make housing easier and more attainable for everyone,” said Will Bouma, Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for Brantford-Brant.
The funding was announced by Matthew Rae, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and Will Bouma, MPP for Brantford-Brant, on behalf of Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
“Our government remains committed to ensuring everyone, regardless of income, can find a place to call home,” said Parliamentary Assistant, Matthew Rae. “I’m pleased to see this investment through the Social Services Relief Fund being put to work to create safe, accessible homes in the community of Paris. This is one of many ways our government is working with our partners to better meet the needs of vulnerable Ontarians.”
“Our government’s policies have delivered historic results in getting more homes built faster and addressing homelessness. Increasing community, affordable, and supportive housing is a critical component of our commitment to build 1.5 million new homes by 2031, which will help all Ontarians, especially our most vulnerable, find a home that meets their needs and budget,” said Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
The building will also feature common space and building amenities on the main floor, such as laundry, a common area and electric scooter parking. Residents will be close to amenities such as public transportation, grocery stores, pharmacies, schools, and employment opportunities.
“Housing needs present itself in every community including the County of Brant. Citizens can find it challenging to secure affordable quality housing in their community and many people take a second job or choose which bill to pay. I am very pleased with the County and City’s response to partner and take action to construct new affordable homes in Paris to address this ever growing and concerning trend,” said David Bailey, Mayor for the County of Brant.
Today’s announcement is part of the province’s Social Services Relief Fund, which has provided over $1.2 billion of support throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, to help municipal service managers and Indigenous program administrators create longer-term housing solutions and help vulnerable people in Ontario, including those who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness.
At the same time, the provincial and federal governments also announced a further $260,000 in joint support for an additional 15 units through the Ontario Priorities Housing Initiative.
The Ontario government is also investing an additional $202 million each year in homelessness prevention programs – the Homelessness Prevention Program and Indigenous Supportive Housing Program – bringing Ontario’s total yearly investment to close to $700 million. This includes an increase of $1.84 million through the Homelessness Prevention Program for the City of Brantford, which also provides housing services in Brant County, bringing the total to $7.02 million annually.
“Everyone deserves the opportunity to have access to the security, wellbeing, and improved quality of life that comes with housing stability. Recognizing we still have a great deal of work to do to achieve our mutual goals, tackling the affordable housing crisis in our region together with our neighbours in the County of Brant through cost sharing initiatives such as the Trillium Way development is a very positive step forward,” concluded Kevin Davis, Mayor for the City of Brantford.
