A combined investment of over $17.4 million to build 69 new and affordable apartment units in Winnipeg, with a strong focus on serving Indigenous students, young families, and elders was announced jointly by Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, along with the Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada and CanNor, Manitoba Minister of Families Rochelle Squires and Chief Sidney Ballantyne of the Opaskwayak Cree Nation earlier this week, a news release said.
A seven-storey apartment building with heated underground parking, located at 380 Young St owned and operated by the Opaskwayak Cree Nation will be just a minute’s walk to the University of Winnipeg and is a mix of affordable living with over 40 percent of the rental units being offered at highly discounted rates.
“Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home…members of the Opaskwayak Cree Nation will have access to affordable housing while pursuing their educational goals. This is our government’s National Housing Strategy in action, Hussen said in the news release
Opaskwayak Cree Nation intends to lease a number of units to First Nations students who have moved off the reserve for post-secondary education, as the central location is not only next to the University of Winnipeg but all major bus routes are also nearby.
Aimed to help address the significant shortage of affordable rental units in the city of Winnipeg, this construction of a 69-unit building will replace four vacant single-family homes that were dilapidated and have been demolished. Expected to take 18 months, this construction project should be complete in the summer of 2024.
Participating in Efficiency Manitoba’s New Buildings Program this building would maximize its energy efficiency.
“Through Efficiency Manitoba’s New Buildings Program, the Opaskwayak Cree Nation will receive support for technical guidance and financial incentives for this project,” said Rochelle Squires
The Opaskwayak Cree Nation would be provided with approximately $105,000 in incentives by Efficiency Manitoba to reduce the costs of incorporating multiple energy-saving measures throughout the construction process.
“These investments help create new jobs and stimulate the local economy while providing access to safe, affordable homes for Winnipeggers,” said Dan Vandal
High-performance building envelope, heat pumps for space heating, and a central heat recovery unit to ventilate the suites are some of the primary energy-efficient features proposed for the building which will result in anticipated annual electricity savings of nearly 190,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) and estimated annual bill savings of $9,500.
Funding provided for this project is as follows:
- $15.6 million from the federal government, through the National Housing Strategy’s National Housing Co-Investment Fund;
- $105,000 through Efficiency Manitoba; and
- $1.8 million from Opaskwayak Cree Nation.
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