On November 14 I had the privilege of joining Stéphane Giguère of Ottawa Community Housing along with municipal colleagues Councillors Rawlson King, Mathieu Fleury, Mayor Jim Watson and federal dignitaries for the announcement of an investment of over $78 million to support the construction of 271 rental units, of which, more than half will be affordable.
Mikinak Community, located at 715 Mikinak Road in Vanier, is a 271-unit housing community. The project will provide a mix of unit sizes with varying levels of affordability, including average market rent units and below market rent units. The development will help benefit women and children, Indigenous peoples, and households on the Centralized Waiting List.
The initiative is receiving federal funding through the National Housing Co-Investment Fund (NHCF), a $13.2 billion dollar pillar of the National Housing Strategy, as well as the Federal Lands Initiative (FLI), a $200 million fund that supports the transfer of surplus federal lands and buildings to be used as affordable housing. The FLI is a National Housing Strategy initiative delivered by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), Public Service and Procurement Canada (PSPC), Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), and Canada Lands Company. The project is also receiving over $2.6 million from the Ontario Priorities Housing Initiative (OPHI), which is a cost-shared program between Ontario and the Government of Canada aimed at creating new housing and increasing housing affordability.
