OTTAWA, October 1, 2004
Fifteen winners in Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's (CMHC) Housing Awards, which recognizes housing initiatives that have contributed to improving the affordability of housing, were announced today by the Honourable Joe Fontana, Minister of Labour and Housing.
This year's Housing Awards, under the theme, "Best Practices in Affordable Housing", is the eighth since the program's inception in 1988.
"The Housing Awards not only recognizes important improvements in housing, but shares solutions and best practices which have helped increase the affordability of housing and the quality of our homes in Canada," said Minister Fontana. "I am pleased to celebrate and honour the achievements of people whose commitment and innovation ensure that we are not only building homes but more importantly improving the quality of life for all Canadians."
The competition was open to both groups and individuals in the public and private sectors. The fifteen winners were chosen by an independent multi-disciplinary selection committee comprised of housing experts from across Canada.
The Awards Luncheon, to be held on October 22, 2004 at the Minto Place Suite Hotel in Ottawa, will honor the winners and be an opportunity to explore ways to transfer information about the winning initiatives to other communities across Canada.
The CMHC Housing Awards has been successful in promoting innovations in: seniors' housing (1988); housing for young families (1990); housing for persons with disabilities (1992); housing for Aboriginal people (1994); housing for youth (1997); housing challenges of the new millennium (2000); and affordable housing (2002).
For further information please contact:
Peter Graham
Director of Communications
Office of Minister Fontana
(819) 953-5646
Sue Ann Rothwell,CMHC
Telephone: (613) 748-2121
Or e-mail: hap@cmhc-schl.gc.ca
Website: www.cmhc.ca
Housing Awards Winners
Best Practices in Affordable Housing
Project Amik Affordable Housing in East Toronto
Frontiers Foundation
Toronto, Ontario
Project Amik ("Amik" is "beaver" in Ojibwa), an affordable housing project in East Toronto, has 75 units with one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments on a rent-geared-to-income basis. Half of them are rented to Canadian Aboriginal people and 14 units are dedicated for rental to people with physical disabilities. The apartment complex is complete with Francophone day care and French immersion. It is a co-operative effort involving federal, provincial and municipal governments together with Frontiers Foundation.