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In a move to tackle homelessness in Ottawa, the Ontario government has announced it will spend over $9.5 million on the development of more than 100 supportive housing units in the city.
The funding will support a total of three projects by Shepherds of Good Hope, Cornerstone Housing for Women and the Ottawa Mission’s Florence Street Rooming House, the province announced Wednesday. The aim of all three is to provide stable housing and comprehensive support services for individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
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“Increasing community, affordable, and supportive housing is a critical component of our goal to get at least 1.5 million new homes built by 2031, which will help all Ontarians, especially our most vulnerable, find a home that meets their needs,” said Paul Calandra, the province’s minister of municipal affairs and housing.
At 216 Murray Street, nearly $4.7 million will go to a Shepherds of Good Hope project creating 48 studio apartments, with at least 24 rooms reserved for Indigenous people and four for women.
The eight-storey building, located in the Lowertown neighbourhood, is to give residents access to a dining room with meals included, a lounge, on-site laundry and 24/7 staff support. The ground floor will feature a new community meal center and indoor/outdoor drop-in space open to the public, according to a news release from the province.
“There is a critical need for more non-market housing in our city, and we are proud to help fill that need with our new building on Murray Street,” said Stephen Bartolo, CEO of Shepherds of Good Hope, in a statement.
Cornerstone Housing for Women will get almost $4.2 million for a four-storey building at 44 Eccles Street that will include 46 studio apartments, each of them equipped with a private washroom and a kitchenette. Twelve units will be fully accessible. Residents of the new project will have access to staff support, health assistance, medication management, counselling, mental health services and other long-term housing essentials.
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“This supportive housing residence is the truest expression of Cornerstone’s commitment to move women and gender-diverse adults from crisis to stability, healing, and hope. We believe everyone deserves a home in a community that supports them where they can live dignified lives,” said Kate Jackson, acting executive director of Cornerstone Housing for Women.
The third project, the Ottawa Mission’s Florence Street Rooming House, will get $700,000 to create eight units for people at risk of homelessness. The fully renovated building will include private or semi-private washrooms and a communal kitchen, along with shared laundry facilities and a backyard.
The $9.5 million for the three projects comes from the province’s Social Services Relief Fund, which has provided more than $1.2 billion to municipal service managers and Indigenous programs to “create longer-term housing solutions and help vulnerable people in Ontario, including those who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness,” the province said.
Ottawa has so far been allocated $100.4 million through all phases of the Social Services Relief Fund, the province said.
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