Latest news with #HousingAcceleratorFund
Boston Globe
21 hours ago
- Business
- Boston Globe
Mayor Wu says interest is growing in downtown office-housing conversion program
'We're still going by trying to expand the footprint of what kinds of buildings will qualify for that,' Wu said. Advertisement Actual construction, though, Wu rattled off several other city housing initiatives: a $110 million 'Housing Accelerator Fund' to help jump-start market-rate housing stalled by high borrowing and construction costs, selling off surplus city-owned sites, streamlining permitting for big projects, implementing citywide zoning, and a newly launched 'co-purchasing' pilot program to help households team up to buy multifamily properties. Advertisement 281 Franklin Street is the first office-to-residential conversion to begin construction in downtown Boston. Lane Turner/Globe Staff And she fielded a separate question from Thomson about buttressing the city's competitiveness, by indicating that perhaps the most important attraction for businesses is 'making sure Boston is a city where employees, where people, want to build their lives.' There was little indication of how some of Wu's more progressive policies — increased requirements for affordable housing, for example, or climate-friendly construction — faces resistance in some corners of the business community. A number of prominent executives have donated to her most prominent challenger in the fall election, Josh Kraft, a former nonprofit executive and one of Patriots owner Robert Kraft's sons. To introduce Wu at the AIM event, M&T Bank regional president Grace Lee talked about how the mayor stood her ground before confrontational members of Congress in March, over immigration policies. 'Mayor Wu bore the weight of our city, the weight of our state [and], I felt, the weight of our nation,' Lee said. 'Everyone that needed a voice, she stood up for.' Wu hearkened back to that moment in Washington when Thomson asked about the mayor's controversial rollout of more bike lanes, a rollout that Kraft targeted 'When I was sitting in that congressional hearing room in D.C.,' Wu recalled, 'and the questions were coming fast and furious and trying to, you know, call me names, and this and that, I quickly realized, ... none of these congressional Republicans have been in a bike lane meeting in the city of Boston.' Advertisement This is an installment of our weekly Bold Types column about the movers and shakers on Boston's business scene. Jon Chesto can be reached at
CTV News
2 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
More than 1K new homes included in affordable housing project in Waterloo
Waterloo says a new affordable housing project will include more than 1,000 homes. CTV's Heather Senoran has the details. The City of Waterloo has finalized the transfer of city-owned land for an ambitious affordable housing project said the be the only one of its kind in the country. The city hosted an event Thursday at the 25-acre piece of land at 2025 University Avenue East, near RIM Park, to celebrate the next step in the project. Habitat for Humanity Waterloo Region partnered with the city for the project that will include more than 1,000 homes from studio apartments to four-bedroom units for families. 'There's going to be a bit of everything. The idea here is to create a whole community so it's not what's normally being built. It's not patchwork,' said Philip Mills CEO of Habitat for Humanity Waterloo Region. 'Everything you'd need - daycares, a gym, health care, food.' Affordable Housing at 2025 University Avenue East Waterloo The future site of an affordable housing project at at 2025 University Avenue East was pictured on June 26, 2025. (Heather Senoran/CTV News) Waterloo's mayor, Dorothy McCabe, said it is a once-in-a-generation transformational project. 'About 30 per cent will be for deeply affordable [units]. Thirty per cent will be for affordable. And the rest will be attainable,' she said. It's expected to cost about half a billion dollars with $22 million in funding coming from the federal government's Housing Accelerator Fund. 'A huge portion of that is going into the work that's being done on this site and to provide some compensation to the city for the land itself,' McCabe said. It will be a mix of rented and owned homes. The price to rent or to own will depend on the size of the unit and other factors. The team said they will be among the most affordable homes on the market. The team hopes the project will have national impact. 'We're really hoping that other communities will take a look at this and see how this could be replicated across the country,' said McCabe. Shovels are expected to be in the ground by 2026. The goal is for it to be move-in ready sometime in 2027.
CTV News
2 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Toronto City Council votes to permit sixplexes in nine wards
Toronto City Council has approved a motion that will allow low-rise sixplexes in a nine wards. Staff initially recommended that councillors permit sixplexes in detached residential buildings in low-rise residential neighbourhoods city-wide. 'Expanding multiplex permissions will increase new low-rise housing options for Torontonians. New residents in low-rise neighbourhoods can help stabilize declining populations, optimize the use of existing infrastructure, and support local retail establishments and services,' staff said in its report last month. However, during Wednesday's city council meeting, not all councillors supported the recommendation. Coun. Gord Perks, who is the chair of the housing committee, then put forward a motion that would permit sixplexes in the downtown Toronto and East York wards and in Scarborough North. The remaining wards have the option to join later. 'I'm moving this very reluctantly,' Perks said while presenting his motion. 'I've spent a considerable amount of time and effort working with my colleagues on council trying to find a majority support for doing what this council already committed to in 2023, which is citywide sixplexes, but I've been unable to find that.' Permitting sixplexes is included in one of the eight initiatives the city must deliver over three years under the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) agreement with the federal government in exchange for $471 million. In a letter in March, the federal government gave Mayor Olivia Chow a June 30 deadline to report to council with opportunities and bylaws to allow more low-rise, multi-unit housing development across Toronto, which includes sixplexes. The letter also provided extended timelines for several other housing initiatives. 'As we work to ensure compliance with over 200 HAF agreements across Canada, we are establishing consequences for non-compliance. In this case, if Toronto does not fully implement the above initiatives and milestones by the newly extended timeline, the federal government will cut funding equivalent to 25 per cent of the annual payment,' the letter read. So far, the city has received $235.56 million of the $471 million. Perks said his motion would create some risk with its relationship with the federal government. 'There is a potential that funds that have already been dispersed in the City of Toronto could be clawed back, meaning that affordable housing projects that we already have plans for in the City of Toronto could fall by the wayside,' Perks said. He shared that some councillors spoke to their Liberal MPs, who told them that the city didn't need sixplexes. 'So, I say to the federal government, if you want, if you want to achieve this citywide, tell the members of your Toronto caucus to stop giving Toronto city councillors mixed messages,' Perks said. His motion passed. 'I am confident that, as more people see the benefits of missing middle housing, where average rent is $830 cheaper than condos and 65% of units are family-sized, more councillors will also opt in,' Mayor Chow said in a statement following the vote.
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.
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Construction begins on seven social and affordable housing units for families and individuals in Nominingue
NOMININGUE, QC, June 18, 2025 /CNW/ - The governments of Canada and Quebec, the Municipality of Nominingue and the Association Développement Nominingue (ADN) today marked the start of construction of Place Dumas, a seven-unit social and affordable housing project for families and individuals in Nominingue. This project represents an investment of over $2.8 million. The event was attended by Chantale Jeannotte, Member of the National Assembly for Labelle and Parliamentary Assistant to the Quebec Minister Responsible for Housing, on behalf of France-Élaine Duranceau, Quebec Minister Responsible for Housing; by Francine Létourneau, Mayor of Nominingue; and by Gaétan Courchesne, President of ADN. The Société d'habitation du Québec (SHQ) is providing nearly $1.5 million for this project through the Programme d'habitation abordable Québec (PHAQ). This funding comes from the federal government's $992M contribution to Québec under the Canada-Québec Agreement on the Housing Accelerator Fund, as well as from the $992M investments announced by Québec in its fall 2023 and fall 2024 economic updates. The Municipality of Nominingue is also providing the organization with $45,000, in addition to granting a 35-year tax credit. Quotes: "Thanks to the Canada-Quebec Agreement under the Housing Accelerator Fund, our government is tackling the housing crisis across the country. Place Dumas is a perfect example of how all levels of government can work together to build more affordable homes and stronger communities." The Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure "Our government is sparing no effort to ensure that more Quebecers are able to enjoy a quality living environment. Our financial contribution to this project will enable seven households to stay in their community. This project demonstrates once again that our investments in the creation of affordable housing reach all regions of Quebec and benefit all people." France-Élaine Duranceau, Quebec Minister Responsible for Housing "I'm proud to see this major project get under way in Nominingue. This investment by our government, through the Société d'habitation du Québec, shows our firm commitment to meeting the needs of diverse clienteles in all regions of Quebec. I congratulate ADN for taking the initiative on this project, as well as the many partners and collaborators involved." Chantale Jeannotte, Member of the National Assembly for Labelle and Parliamentary Assistant to the Quebec Minister Responsible for Housing "The Municipality of Nominingue is thrilled to have partnered with ADN for this inspiring project, which will bring new life to our community. I applaud the exceptional work of the ADN volunteers who made this project possible." Francine Létourneau, Mayor of Nominingue "With its affordable housing and daycare centre on the way, Place Dumas is a key asset for attracting young families and workers essential to Nominingue's economic vitality. This project contributes directly to the sustainability of businesses and services in our village core." Gaétan Courchesne, President, Association Développement Nominingue Highlights: Three eligible households could benefit from the Société d'habitation du Québec's (SHQ) Rent Supplement Program, ensuring that they will not spend more than 25% of their income on rent. This additional assistance is covered by the SHQ (90%) and the Municipality of Nominingue (10%). About Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Visit for the most-requested Government of Canada housing information. CMHC plays a critical role as a national facilitator to promote stability and sustainability in Canada's housing finance system. Its mortgage insurance products support access to home ownership and the creation and maintenance of rental supply. CMHC actively supports the Government of Canada in delivering on its commitment to make housing more affordable. CMHC research and data help inform housing policy. By facilitating cooperation between all levels of government, private and non-profit sectors, it contributes to advancing housing affordability, equity, and climate compatibility. Follow us on X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. About the Société d'habitation du Québec As a leader in housing, the SHQ's mission is to meet the housing needs of Quebecers through its expertise and services to citizens. It does this by providing affordable and low-rental housing and offering a range of assistance programs to support the construction, renovation and adaptation of homes, and access to homeownership. To find out more about its activities, visit SocietehabitationQuebecHabitationSHQLinkedIn SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) View original content to download multimedia: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
