Latest news with #Haight
Winnipeg Free Press
18-06-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
‘We really need that federal piece': city awaits Ottawa grants for housing projects as deadline looms
City housing officials fear more than half of the first round of Winnipeg projects awarded Housing Accelerator Fund grants could miss a key deadline. 'Six out of the 10 projects that we've approved through our (Housing Accelerator Fund) capital grants (in) Round 1, which require a building permit by September of this year … are still awaiting approval from (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation) under the Affordable Housing Fund,' Lissie Rappaport, manager of the city's Housing Accelerator Fund office, said during Tuesday's executive policy committee meeting. 'The loan (portion) of that program has run out of funds. There's still money left in the grant program but most groups access both to make a project work.' Rappaport told the committee her office is 'fully optimistic' the federal government will commit more money but it's not yet clear when that could happen. SEAN KILPATRICK / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES In late May, some groups proposing housing projects learned the federal Affordable Housing Fund's community housing development stream had been exhausted. 'Some of those projects may be late on that September deadline … It could be a risk for us to not meet our targets under this year,' she said. In late May, some groups proposing housing projects learned the federal Affordable Housing Fund's community housing development stream had been exhausted. Rappaport said the six affected projects she mentioned include a combined 680 housing units, and 464 of those are considered deeply affordable. One of the affected projects aims to provide 154 housing units with affordable rents at 145 Transcona Blvd. But a key proponent of that $46-million project said it is now in limbo. 'We've been pushing really hard from a political level to try to get support for this project,' said Stephanie Haight, director of development and construction for the Winnipeg Housing Rehabilitation Corporation. Haight said the project would provide homes for vulnerable people who are facing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless due to a physical disability. The organization applied for CMHC funding to cover more than half its costs, seeking an $11.5-million grant and $14.8 million in long-term, low interest loans. Haight said the project received a $5-million grant from Winnipeg's $122-million share of the federal Housing Accelerator Fund. While CMHC has not provided written approval for the project, it would need that funding to succeed, Haight said. 'We have city support, we have provincial support and we really need that federal piece,' said Haight. Mayor Scott Gillingham said he's confident the senior government will act on the issue. 'The federal government has already told us that that Affordable Housing Fund is an important fund. Even though it's fully subscribed, they've committed to my office that … they're working on either replenishing the fund or finding a way to make sure those projects still go ahead,' said Gillingham. To secure federal Housing Accelerator dollars, the city made sweeping changes to its zoning rules, including allowing up to four housing units to be built on a single lot in most residential areas. Gillingham said those changes will help attract more housing projects, long after current funding programs end. 'What those zoning changes are about is getting more housing built quicker. There are many projects that will never try to access or need federal or provincial funding to get built,' he said. In an email, a CMHC spokesman noted the Housing Accelerator Fund and Affordable Housing Fund are not directly tied to each other. He also noted many housing proponents applied for the latter fund. 'With the significant demand for funding, CMHC continues and is committed to working with our clients and partners to process as many (Affordable Housing Fund) applications as possible. Further updates on (that fund) will be provided as they become available,' wrote David Harris. Overall, the city awarded $25 million to 11 projects from its share of the Housing Accelerator Fund last year, while another 12 projects split $25 million of the funding in 2025. Rappaport noted one of the 11 projects granted last year has now withdrawn its application for Housing Accelerator Funding, leaving the total for that year at 10 projects. Wednesdays Sent weekly from the heart of Turtle Island, an exploration of Indigenous voices, perspectives and experiences. Westgate Developments Ltd. and LVDC Holdings Ltd. had planned to convert a commercial building at 125 Garry St. into a mixed-use apartment complex with 126 housing units, including 32 affordable ones. The city and developer declined comment on the reasons that project won't proceed. Rappaport said city staff will look at other options to invest the money allotted to that project, which could be offered to another applicant who didn't initially receive a grant. X: @joyanne_pursaga Joyanne PursagaReporter Joyanne is city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. A reporter since 2004, she began covering politics exclusively in 2012, writing on city hall and the Manitoba Legislature for the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in early 2020. Read more about Joyanne. Every piece of reporting Joyanne produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
CNBC
13-06-2025
- Business
- CNBC
Companies are bullish on AI but remain skeptical of the payoff
Many technology leaders remain skeptical or concerned about the use of artificial intelligence tools, at the same time organizations are relying on these tools to handle a growing number of roles and functions. Given this paradox, a key consideration is what will it take to bring these two opposing dynamics in alignment? A recent survey of 1,393 technology leaders across nine countries by IT staffing and services provider Experis showed that about two-thirds are accelerating their AI capabilities and about half are embedding AI skills into existing roles rather than creating new positions. And yet, despite the ongoing buzz around AI, the research indicated a measured approach to AI adoption among technology leaders. Just 37% see generative AI as a valuable solution for specific applications today, and 33% remain uncertain about its business impact. "CIOs and technology leaders are embedding AI into existing functions and roles primarily by using it to augment existing work patterns and tasks," said Cameron Haight, an analyst at research firm Gartner. "This initial use of AI tools is expected to generate modest productivity increases. In the short term, AI operates within boundaries, enhancing current processes without fundamentally transforming them." Businesses are using AI in several key areas, said Kye Mitchell, president of Experis U.S. They're deploying it to accelerate coding and automate testing in software development; to enhance cybersecurity via real-time threat detection and response; and to improve customer support and sales by streamlining ticket handling and personalizing outreach. Over time, AI tools are expected to push boundaries, becoming more "agentic" and capable of breaking down complex problems, Haight said. "This will transform work patterns by enabling developers to fully automate and offload more tasks," he said. AI agents can enhance developer experience and increase the ability to deliver business value, Haight said. "For example, an AI agent can automate tasks such as code generation, debugging, and performance tuning," he said. Gartner research has a more nuanced view on AI replacing humans for jobs, however, as the impact is complex and varies, Haight said. "While there is speculation and hype from vendors touting 'AI-based software engineers' that could supplant human engineers, we believe that the rumors of the demise of, for example, software engineers are greatly exaggerated," he added. The skepticism and uncertainty among IT leaders regarding AI's business impact is partly because many organizations struggle to translate AI investments into tangible productivity improvements, Haight said. Navigating the balance between the hype, potential, and challenges of AI requires technology leaders to focus on strategic integration, workforce adaptation, and cultural change, Haight said. Companies need to shift the focus to an AI-first mindset. "Instead of developers manually coding everything, cultivate an 'AI-first' mindset where software engineers primarily focus on steering AI agents by providing relevant context and constraints," Haight said. "This means upskilling teams in prompt engineering and retrieval-augmented generation skills." To effectively leverage AI, especially for building AI-empowered applications and supporting new roles such as AI engineers, organizations need to invest in AI developer platforms, Haight said. "These platforms provide the necessary technology, workflows, reusable components, access to large language models, and support for responsible AI practices, enabling efficient and scalable AI integration," he said. The impact of AI necessitates redesigning roles to fit new ways of operating and account for changing demand, Haight said. "Instead of just replacing roles, focus on reconfiguring roles often towards assisted multi-skilled generalist roles where AI automates routine tasks," he said. "Set up more networked and dynamic teaming to make it easier for people to connect with work." To align AI enthusiasm with business impact, technology leaders "need to create space for innovation without losing control," Mitchell said. "That means setting up safe sandboxes to test AI, building bridge roles that connect tech with business, and measuring results through real outcomes — not just hype. Just as important, we need to upskill teams so AI becomes a productivity partner, not a mystery or a threat." Also to help close the gap between AI deployments and executive hesitation, technology leaders must focus on small, strategic deployments that show measurable business value, Mitchell said. "Whether it's reducing time-to-resolution in customer service or speeding up code review, pilot programs with clear KPIs [key performance indicators] can turn AI from a buzzword into a business tool," Mitchell said. "But adoption won't scale without education." At the same time, companies need to put strong AI governance in place to monitor how tools are trained, deployed, and evaluated — especially in industries where bias or error carry heavy consequences. "And perhaps most importantly, leaders need to bring people into the process," Mitchell said. "Co-creating AI solutions with cross-functional teams builds trust, improves outcomes, and helps shift the narrative from fear to empowerment." While some jobs — such as data entry, low-level coding, and routine legal review — are vulnerable to automation, the future is bright for roles that blend human judgment with machine intelligence, Mitchell said. "Think AI engineers, data ethicists, cybersecurity experts, and product leaders who know how to build with AI, not just around it," she said. "The new era of work belongs to those who can collaborate with the machines, not compete against them."
Winnipeg Free Press
05-06-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Affordable housing projects in limbo after fund ends
Non-profit organizations say an interruption to federal funding is putting millions of dollars for affordable housing projects in limbo. Last week, some groups say they learned funding had been 'exhausted' for the Affordable Housing Fund's community housing development stream, said Stephanie Haight, director of development and construction for the Winnipeg Housing Rehabilitation Corporation. Haight said groups were told the key Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation funding stream is now on hold and 'waiting for further direction from government.' MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES Manitoba Non-Profit Housing Association's Christina Maes Nino fears a 'cascade' of uncertainty. Her corporation fears that will put their $46-million affordable housing project at risk, along with many others. 'We're in a pretty terrible position right now because we've actually put in $768,000 of our own cash with the understanding that CMHC would be supporting our project and moving it forward, only to receive this information … This housing project likely won't be built without CMHC support,' said Haight. The group planned to build 154 housing units at 145 Transcona Blvd., all with affordable rents. The project would include 68 units rented at 69 per cent of the median market rate and 31 units with provincially supported rents 'geared-to-income,' with some monthly one-bedroom rates as low as $285. The remaining 55 units would meet CMHC median market rent (the middle point of rental rates in a specific area). 'The 31 (rent-geared-to-income) units are fully accessible and they are dedicated to providing affordable housing for vulnerable populations facing homelessness or at (risk of) homelessness with a physical disability,' said Haight. The organization applied for CMHC funding to cover more than half its costs, seeking an $11.5-million grant and $14.8 million in long-term, low interest loans. Haight said the funding delay could also jeopardize $5 million the project is set to receive from Winnipeg's $122-million share of the federal Housing Accelerator Fund. Without CMHC funding, she said it's not clear if the project will get a building permit in time to qualify for that fund. 'If we don't get this project going, we can't recover that money so it will be very difficult for us to continue building deeply affordable housing into the future. So it definitely doesn't do anything to help our city work on the housing crisis that we currently have,' she said. Haight said CMHC did not provide a written conditional approval for the Transcona Boulevard project but encouraged the group to pursue it. Christina Maes Nino, executive director of the Manitoba Non-Profit Housing Association, said many of her organization's members are facing the same uncertainty. 'There is a lot to do on a project to be able to apply for CMHC capital funding, so they will often get funding from a bunch of other sources and invest a bunch of their money just to get to the stage where they can apply for the funding,' said Maes Nino. She said projects across the country could be affected by the change. Maes Nino said the federal government has expressed a commitment to affordable housing but the timeline for this key funding pocket is unknown. 'It's not clear how long the pause is for or what it's going to look like in the end,' she said, adding other housing funds could be compromised by CMHC changes, since many projects wouldn't be viable without it. 'It creates this cascade effect of uncertainty,' she said. In a late May notice to members, the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association warned that the Affordable Housing Fund's community housing development stream had been exhausted. 'This means any applications in the new construction — community housing sub-stream of the Affordable Housing Fund that have not yet been conditionally approved are being placed on hold … CHRA understands that these holds will remain in place until CMHC receives new direction from the federal government,' it states. The memo says the funding issue is 'particularly concerning' because the federal government announced in November that the Affording Housing Fund would be extended to 2028-29. 'Organizations have been investing in and preparing proposals based on the assumption that funding would be available until this time,' the memo states. Wednesdays Sent weekly from the heart of Turtle Island, an exploration of Indigenous voices, perspectives and experiences. A federal news release described the Affordable Housing Fund as a $14.6-billion program, which also includes a separate rapid housing stream and a repair-and-renewal stream. A spokesperson for CMHC said its affordable housing fund has received many applications since it launched. 'CMHC continues and is committed to working with our clients and partners to process as many (affordable housing) funding applications as possible,' an email said, without confirming if the fund had been exhausted and whether more money would be added. X: @joyanne_pursaga Joyanne PursagaReporter Joyanne is city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. A reporter since 2004, she began covering politics exclusively in 2012, writing on city hall and the Manitoba Legislature for the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in early 2020. Read more about Joyanne. Every piece of reporting Joyanne produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
