Grand Opening of Seniors Housing Project in Brandon

BRANDON—Senior citizens in western Manitoba have a new 63-unit property to call home, so they can live independently in the community. Today, representatives from federal, provincial and municipal governments attended its grand opening, along with the local co-operative that led its development.

“Access to safe, affordable housing is a priority for our government and Manitobans,” said Families Minister Heather Stefanson. “We are proud of the partnerships with the federal government, City of Brandon and West-Man Seniors Housing Co-op that led to the grand opening of this important project that will better the lives of Brandon seniors and the community.”

The Canada and Manitoba governments provided more than $3.1 million toward this $14 million project through the Investment in Affordable Housing (IAH) extension agreement.  The four-storey property, located at 2105 Brandon Ave., features 48 affordable housing units and 15 units with rental rates set at market value.

“Our government recognizes the importance of caring for our aging citizens,” said member of Parliament Doug Eyolfson, who attended on behalf of the Hon. Jean-Yves Duclos, federal minister of families, children and social development and minister responsible for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). “This is why we are pleased to announce the official opening of 2105 Brandon Avenue, a new affordable housing development which will enable more seniors from this community to age independently, close to family and friends.”

The City of Brandon provided the property at 2105 Brandon Ave., valued at $920,000, at no cost and other support totalling more than $600,000.

“The City of Brandon is proud to be a partner in this affordable housing project,” said Deputy Mayor Jeff Fawcett, who attended today’s grand opening on behalf of Mayor Rick Chrest. “At the heart of Brandon’s Affordable Housing Strategy is the philosophy that no one community group or organization can go it alone when it comes to improving the affordable housing landscape, and the many different partnerships forged to make 2105 Brandon Ave. a reality is the embodiment of that philosophy at work in our community.”

The housing project was developed and will be managed by Western Manitoba Seniors Non-Profit Housing Co-op Ltd., which was established in 2009 to provide safe, comfortable, affordable and accessible housing for seniors in Brandon. The co-op also manages a 34-unit affordable seniors’ housing property on McDiarmid Drive.

“Our proud co-operative volunteers would like to thank everyone who helped bring this project to completion, who worked hard to make this dream a reality for the people now living at 2105 Brandon Ave.,” said Harvey Douglas, president and chair of the co-op expansion committee.  “This building provides accessible, affordable, safe and secure independent housing that is also pet-friendly and smoke-free, for lower to mid-income senior citizens, allowing them to age in place gracefully. We will continue to look forward for more opportunities to provide housing options for these important community members.”

Tenants began moving into the building in early May, which features common areas on each floor, an outdoor sitting area and a shared garden. The building meets Manitoba’s visitable and accessible design standards and Manitoba Hydro’s PowerSmart designation.

As Canada’s authority on housing, CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need, and offers unbiased housing research and advice to all levels of Canadian government, consumers and the housing industry. For more information, visit cmhc.ca or follow them on Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.  To find out more about the National Housing Strategy, visit: www.placetocallhome.ca.
Manitoba Housing, part of Manitoba Families, provides a wide range of safe and affordable housing options throughout the province, often in partnership with other governments, community organizations and private agencies.  For more information, visit: www.gov.mb.ca/housing.