Feds, province announce $92M for 5 housing projects in Ottawa
The federal and provincial housing ministers chose National Housing Day to announce $91.85 million in funding for 272 mostly affordable units in Ottawa.
More than half the funds are earmarked for a federal low-cost loan to local developer Taggart to build 122 units in Little Italy. Officials could not immediately say how many units will be affordable.
Ahmed Hussen, the federal minister of housing and diversity and inclusion, was on hand Tuesday morning for the announcement at a John Howard Society supportive housing complex at 289 Carling Ave. He was joined by Ontario's associate minister of housing, Michael Parsa, as well as a number of local officials.
The funding comes from five different housing programs, with most of the money coming from the federal government. The Ontario Housing Initiative is purely provincial, and two other programs involve both upper levels of government. The remaining two programs — the Rapid Housing Initiative and the Rental Construction Financing Initiative — are both federal programs.
The announcement includes the following projects:
$48 million in benefits for Taggart Group through the federal Rental Construction Financing Initiative for its development at 93 Norman St. The program provides low-cost financing for developers in order to incentivize the building of rental units. This nine-storey building will include 122 units, although it is unclear how many will be affordable, or how deeply the rents will be discounted.
$14 million for a John Howard Society supportive housing program for women experiencing chronic homelessness, with a focus on Indigenous women. The 29-unit project at 494 Lisgar St. will have 24-hour support on site.
$5.85 million toward Ottawa Community Housing's project at 3380 Jockvale Rd. that will include 32 affordable units for families in the shelter system. Seven will be accessible.
