More Projects Approved under Newfoundland and Labrador Community Housing Growth Fund

December 9, 2024

The Honourable John G. Abbott, Minister of Housing and Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, is pleased to announce that five more community organizations are receiving funding under the Community Housing Growth Fund to help them develop their affordable housing projects.

Each project was awarded up to $50,000 for pre-development costs, which makes it easier to advance community-based projects. The new approved projects include:

• Choices for Youth is looking to develop 28 affordable bachelor and one-bedroom units with on-site wrap-around services in St. John’s. This funding will cover things like concept design work and financial modelling.
• The Cavalry Baptist Church will use the funding for consulting support in designing a 40-unit affordable apartment building in Paradise.
• The Gander and Area Community Advisory Board is exploring turning a former church into a Housing and Homelessness Hub that will feature three forms of housing supports – emergency shelter, bedsitting rooms and affordable housing units with wrap-around services. Funding will support the development of cost estimates and detailed plans.
• Robert’s Arm Interfaith Senior Citizens Home will use the funding for planning and pre-development for a 12-unit affordable housing complex to accommodate the growing number of seniors in the area.
• The Port Saunders Development Committee is looking to build 10 units to create affordable housing for low-income seniors in the area. Funding will help with preliminary design and an environmental site assessment.

The $1.5 million Community Housing Growth Fund is a partnership between the Provincial Government and the Community Housing Transformation Centre to offer grants to non-profit, co-operative and Indigenous organizations and registered charities as they work to create affordable housing. The fund helps pay for planning and pre-development work, so organizations can then take advantage of funding opportunities from all levels of government. Eligible expenses include professional appraisals, site surveys and contract documents.

This brings the total projects receiving funding to eight, totaling approximately $400,000. Groups that have previously received money include the Killick Ecovillage Cooperative, Masonic Park, and Connections for Seniors.

The Community Housing Transformation Centre is a national non-profit organization that provides support and funding to the community housing sector across Canada. It is made up of organizations that represent and serve the needs of the sector. Groups interested in applying for support under the program can visit the centre website.

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“Providing affordable, safe housing is a key priority for the Provincial Government. We recognize there are many stages to every housing development, and that each of these stages feature expenses along the way. We are pleased to support these community organizations as they work to bring their projects to fruition.”
Honourable John G. Abbott
Minister of Housing and Minister of Mental Health and Addictions

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