See Video
Visual Cues:
Ontario Logo followed by Canada Logo.
Title appears: Together We’re Building A Strong Ontario.
Text: A video from Ontario Municipal Affairs and Housing. Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program.
Text fades out.
Street scenes on a sunny day with images of less privileged people fading in and out.
Narrator:
A great society is often judged on its care for the less privileged and vulnerable members in its midst.
Visual Cues:
Fade to black. White title: Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program.
Black background fades out and a series of photos of happy people come in and fade out.
Narrator:
The Government of Ontario has developed a remarkable strategy to address one of the basic needs of our society – affordable housing.
Construction of new affordable units. Housing Allowances. Downpayment assistance. Rent banks. Ontario has and continues to develop a complement of programs designed to promote housing affordability.
Visual Cues:
Scenes of construction sites and an animation showing more than $734 million in Federal, Provincial and Municipal contributions in the areas of housing allowances, home ownership, rental and supportive and northern housing projects.
Narrator:
A key part of Ontario’s Affordable Housing Strategy is the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program, the largest such program in Canadian History.
At least $734 million dollars is being invested by the federal, provincial and municipal governments to increase access to affordable housing for 20,000 households in Ontario.
Visual Cues:
Animation of a map showing provincial communities around Ontario that have benefited from the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program
Narrator:
From Ottawa to Windsor. Northern Ontario to Toronto, the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program is working.
Much of the success of the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program is due to the partnerships formed with Municipalities.
Visual Cues:
External view of Sunnyside Apartments, in Kitchener, Region of Waterloo.
Keith Lucas, Director of Housing, Region of Waterloo sitting outside speaking to the camera.
Gary, a tenant at Sunnyside Apartments sitting outside speaking to the camera.
Keith Lucas:
There’s partnerships going on between the federal, provincial and municipal governments. There’s partnerships going on with respect to our partnerships that we have with the not-for-profit sector, the private sector. So it’s all this partnership, bringing it all together and making it happen. It didn’t happen overnight. You have to build those partnerships and that’s one of the bigger successes. That’s what happened here in a relatively short period of time.
So actually the region of Waterloo was one of the first municipalities that started to take advantage of the Affordable Housing Program. Back then it kind of evolved. There was an initial programs and then the programs evolved. So the partnership between the Region and the province and the federal government has been very effective and very strong from the very start.
Gary:
They’re just giving you the freedom – that’s all they’re really giving you. Is freedom. I still pay rent. I don’t pay as much as market value, but I still pay rent. And proportionately to what my pension is, it’s a big chunk of it. But I still feel like I’m contributing. I pay my taxes every year. I do what I have to do to be active in the community. So I don’t think that I’m a burden on anybody and I think once people get over that issue, they’re much better off. And I can only say that I have never once had any issues with any of the people that I’ve worked with at the region. They’ve been very helpful. They’ve never once looked down at me or made me feel inferior. They treat us as equals and that’s all we ever ask.
Visual Cues:
Photos of various affordable housing projects in Ontario.
Narrator:
Partnering with non-profit, co-operative and commercial developers, the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program create opportunities for thousands of people across the province to thrive in safe, affordable homes.
The province’s Ontario Mortgage and Housing Initiative helps project sponsors to access official lenders who offer preferred rates to program participants.
Energy efficiency training programs assist developers to build homes that are environmentally sound and provide ongoing affordability to residents through energy savings.
Visual Cues:
Photos of various Brownfield sites in Ontario.
Narrator:
By supporting the development of affordable housing on Brownfield sites — properties that are derelict —urban communities across the province are being revitalized.
Brownfield development takes the pressure off Greenfields. There has been growing interest among municipalities, owners, developers and environmentalists to clean up these vacant sites and put them to new use.
An example of the success of the Affordable Housing Program can be found at the Bethlehem Projects of Niagara’s Genesis Court development in St. Catharines.
Visual Cues:
Julie Dennis, Executive Director, Bethlehem Projects of Niagara standing outside Genesis Court, speaking to the camera.
Julie Dennis
We’re very thankful to the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program to provide us the opportunity to build a forty-unit apartment building that provides housing for both singles and families, as well as support services. The people who live at Genesis Court are on low to moderate incomes, including those with specific needs, such as people who have been victims of abuse, people who have faced issues of homelessness, and people with disabilities. Four of our units are completely accessible. And half of the building is for singles and half is for families.
Visual Cues:
Carol, tenant of Genesis Court, sitting outside speaking to the camera.
Carol
I had a drug and alcohol problem and I came up to St. Catharines nine years ago hoping to make a better life for myself. And I got in with the right people. I couldn’t read and write when I came to St. Catharines. I went to school and in 2003 got my grade twelve and you can’t get me away from books now. I came here about five months ago. It’s a whole different new life for me today. I just love it here. I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Visual Cues:
Views of Northern Ontario.
Narrator:
The Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program has many facets. Working with Frontiers Foundation and Man Tech, the Northern Component is answering a need with funding for the repair and renovation of homes in the region.
Visual Cues:
Gerry Strong, of Man Tech Services, standing outside talking to the camera
Gerry Strong
Man Tech Services provides services to households in the Northeastern part of Northern Ontario. There is also Frontiers Foundation, who provide the same services for households in the western part of the province.
The Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program – Northern Component – has identified gaps in other funding programs where we can provide increased funding for homeowners to improve the living conditions and health and safety of their homes.
We’ll do work like foundation wall work, roofs, electrical, septic systems, wells, items like that.
Visual Cues:
Lane La Carte, client of Man Tech Services, standing inside and walking around a house, speaking to the camera.
Lane La Carte
I’m renovating this house for my daughter Sylvie, who is special needs. It was a lot to do at one time, so we acquired services and funding through Man Tech Services who had a provincial and federal program that in association, the two together provided funding for homes like this that needed repair, but the owner – which is Sylvie, she owns the property and the home – wouldn’t have the income to be able to do that themselves.
There is a need for this type of project in Northern areas. The housing itself – there’s not that much new that’s built in Northern Ontario, the population doesn’t go up – so there’s a dependency on that which exists already and changes hands or whatever but it’s still older homes that need stuff done to them.
Visual Cues:
Exterior view of Peel Youth Village.
Narrator:
The Affordable Housing Program includes units set aside for special need populations, ensuring affordable and supportive housing accommodation is available for those who need it most.
Visual Cues:
John D’Angelo, Partner in Martinway Contracting Ltd., standing outside Peel Youth Village, speaking to the camera.
John D’Angelo
On every project that we take on, we always look at it from the point of view of who is going to live in this building and we always put ourselves in their shoes knowing that we all need a place to rest our heads at the end of the day. And I think very few people look at it that way. We tend to be a money-oriented society and where profit is the biggest thing – that’s the goal in society – it is profit and it’s money. We tend to take a bit of a different approach in affordable housing. That’s why we specialize and we only do affordable housing.
So I was invited on a seven-city tour with the ministry of housing at the provincial level and the Ontario Power Authority where basically the thrust of the whole presentation was based on what available incentive programs exist for developers and builders and service providers in various municipalities throughout Ontario. And we talked about energy efficiencies and we talked a bit about every section within the Leed Program. So when you talk about air quality, water efficiency, energy efficiency. We talked about rapidly renewable resources and how all of these come into the fold of being part of a project.
Visual Cues:
Gary Faris, Program Supervisor, standing inside various areas of Peel Youth Village, speaking to the camera.
Gary Faris
Peel Youth Village is, in a nutshell, it’s transitional housing for young people from sixteen on the lower end to thirty on the higher end. It’s about engaging young people. Those young people that are wanting to make a commitment to themselves to move forward. We can have young people that are ageing out of CAS, we can have young people that have been having struggles with parents in the family home. We have young people that are not quite engaged with school. So we get referrals from a lot of different agencies, and we certainly encourage that.
The community centre is available for residents living here, in the residential component, but it’s also available to anybody that lives in this Acorn community. So we have an employment resource centre, currently we are at the recreation floor, behind me you’ll see the basketball court, currently set up for a moms and tots program in the morning. We have basketball, and volleyball, and badminton in the evenings. We have a weight room over here, foosball table, ping pong tables, a lot of activities that keep the interest of many of the young people, and indeed the families, that are accessing the services.
Visual Cues:
Scenes of playground and streets. Exterior views of The Wave highrise building in Etobicoke.
Narrator:
For the lower to moderate-income renter, saving the down payment to purchase a home is difficult, and often impossible. The Homeownership Component of the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program is an exciting initiative that provides down payment assistance to renters, enabling people to get a foothold in the housing market while alleviating some of the demand for affordable rental Housing.
Visual Cues:
Martin Blake, VP. Project Implementation, The Daniels Corporation, standing in a room in front of a piece of modern art and speaking to the camera.
Martin Blake
This was the last piece of land in the larger development which was the old Goodyear Tire plant in Toronto. We wanted to do something special for our last project so we approached the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program and we said “How about we work together as a team? How about we create something which is going to be truly unique? Something special for people”. So we were working on a way of creating a project that was really going to help people who were having a hard time becoming homeowners. So this was an opportunity for us to really bring down the cost of homeownership, truly make something affordable yet still make it market. This project in Etobicoke called The Wave has done just that. So we are very proud to have been part of that.
Visual Cues:
Bill, homeowner in The Wave, sitting in a room in front of a piece of modern art and speaking to the camera.
Bill
The initial help to get into it – I mean everybody can use that, for sure. When you purchased the property, the sales people seemed to know, given your income, if you would be approved for that. And as far as I know they were all approved. So that was well done. And it was just seamless. It was just convenient and easy and it made it easier to get started.
Visual Cues:
Lynn, homeowner in The Wave, sitting in her living room and speaking to the camera.
Lynn
That would be lovely if that were made available to more people in more parts of the province. Or the country, I don’t know. Because it’s a step up. And it feels different from renting. Completely. It’s apples and oranges.
Visual Cues:
Return to view of Bill, sitting in a room in front of a piece of modern art and speaking to the camera.
Bill
It’s so much nicer for people to live in a nice, clean, new, air-conditioned, functioning environment than it is in a lot of this older housing that’s around.
Visual Cues:
Return to view of Martin Blake, standing in a room in front of a piece of modern art and speaking to the camera.
Martin Blake:
We’ve also recently been announced as the developer for Regent Park. So we’re the developer in there creating new housing within Regent Park, which is tremendously exciting. Because not only are we able to bring affordable housing there as well but we’re able to mix the two communities – those that live in Regent Park right now as renters, with those who will be owners, which is fantastic.
Visual Cues:
Montage of newspaper headlines announcing construction and funding of new affordable housing units. Followed by montage of images of happy people.
Narrator:
The Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program continues to gain momentum across the province.
Low income families, households in crises, women and children fleeing abuse, the elderly, people with special needs, immigrants and refugees, aboriginal people, and formerly homeless people have a new opportunity live in a safe, secure environment with dignity, independence and self-esteem.
Visual Cues:
Return to view of Martin Blake, standing in a room in front of a piece of modern art and speaking to the camera.
Martin Blake:
We look to be able to create projects and communities that help people. And this has been one of those communities.
Visual Cues:
Return to view of Gary, a tenant at Sunnyside Apartments sitting outside speaking to the camera.
Gary
They treat us as equals, and that’s all we ever ask.
Visual Cues:
Return to view of Lynn, homeowner in The Wave, sitting in her living room and speaking to the camera.
Lynn:
This opportunity would be invaluable to a whole pile of people.
Visual Cues:
Return to view of John D’Angelo, Partner in Martinway Contracting Ltd., standing outside Peel Youth Village, speaking to the camera.
John D’Angelo:
You know we all need a place to rest our heads at the end of the day.
Visual Cues:
Return to view of Carol, tenant of Genesis Court, sitting outside speaking to the camera.
Carol
It’s a whole different, new life for me today.
Visual Cues:
Return to view of Gary Faris, Program Supervisor, standing inside various areas of Peel Youth Village, speaking to the camera.
Gary
It’s an investment in people.
Narrator:
The Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program is an exciting story. Its continued success depends on the involvement and commitment from all sectors of government, non-profit and profit groups so that we can all say with great pride… Together we’re building a stronger Ontario.
Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program Project Sponsors:
1072962 Ontario Ltd.
121 Parkway Forest Drive Incorporated
129 Dundas Developments Inc.
1372360 Ontario Inc.
1372360 Ontario Inc.
1456418 Ontario Ltd.
1555 Jane Street Limited
1621882 Ontario Ltd.
1691085 Ontario Incorporated
1741059 Ontario Limited
1741110 Ontario Inc.
2002905 Ontario Ltd.
2009104 Ontario Incorporated
2019188 Ontario Ltd.
2077626 Ontario Ltd.
21 King Inc.
2141076 Ontario Inc. O/S
550 Birchmount Holdings Ltd.
6432581 Canada Inc.
792169 Ontario Inc.
805396 Ontario Limited
873815 Ontario Ltd.
A.M.K. Construction Ltd.
Adelaide North Developments Inc.
Ajax Municipal Housing Corporation
Algoma District Services Administration Board
Alice Street Apartments Inc.
Almaguin Highlands Community Living
Amadeo Developments Ltd.
Artscape Non-Profit Homes Inc.
Assisi Offering Corporation
Aykler and Co. Realty Limited
B.G. Schickendanz Central Inc.
Bellwoods Centres for Community Living
Bethlehem Not for Profit Housing Projects of Niagara
Blaze Properties Incorporated
Bloomingdale Seniors Corporation
Blue Heron Co-operative Homes Inc.
Bonnie Place
Brant Native Housing
Bratanek Enterprises Inc.
Bruce and Dana Gibbings
Bruce Peninsula Association for Community Living
Brunel Road Management Corporation
Canadian Legion
Capital Pines Development Inc.
Casselman Non-Profit Housing Corporation
Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation
Chai-El Holdings Incorporated
Chatham Hope Non-Profit Homes Inc.
Chatham Kent Hope Women’s Centre Inc.
Christian Resource Centre
City of Brantford
City of Cornwall
City of Greater Sudbury
City of Greater Sudbury
City of Hamilton
City of Kawartha Lakes
City of Kingston
City of London
City of Ottawa
City of Peterborough
City of St. Thomas
City of Toronto
City of Windsor
CityHousing Hamilton
Community Living Port Colborne Wainfleet
Coptic Church
Cornwall and Area Housing Corporation
Corporation of the County of Dufferin
Council of LIFT Non-Profit Housing Corporation
County of Bruce
County of Dufferin
County of Grey
County of Hastings
County of Huron
County of Lambton
County of Lanark
County of Lennox & Addington
County of Norfolk
County of Northumberland
County of Oxford
County of Renfrew
County of Simcoe
County of Wellington
Cypriot Homes Association
David and Michelle Johnston Swirl in Motion
District Municipality of Muskoka
District of Cochrane Social Service Administration Board
District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board
District of Parry Sound Social Services Administration Board
District of Sault Ste Marie Social Services Administration Board
District of Timiskaming Social Services Administration Board
Dr. F.M. Walker Veterans and Seniors Villa Inc.
Dr. To-Vi Luong Dentistry Professional Corporation
Dundas Apartments Inc.
Durham Regional Local Housing Corporation
Dutton & District Lions Non-Profit Housing Inc.
Eganville and Area Long Term Care Corporation
Elena Melnychuck and Michael John Melnychuk
Fenelon Area Independent Living Association
Foxfell Friends Co-operative Community Corporation
Fred Victor Community Homes
Freedom House
Frontiers Foundation
G.K. York Management Services
Gateway Residences of Niagara Incorporated
Ghana Amansie Canadian Non-Profit Homes
Gloucester Non-Profit Housing Corporation
Good Shepherd Non-Profit Homes Inc.
Goodwill Industries Niagara
Guelph Non-Profit Housing Corporation
Guelph Unit 344 of the Army, Navy and Air Force Veterans in Canada
Hamilton Housing Corporation
Haskett Holdings Inc.
Heartwood Place
Hellenic Community of Housing and District
Hesperus Fellowship Village
Hillcrest Lodge Corporation
Home Ownership Alternatives
Homes Opening Today Toronto Inc.
Homes Unlimited (London) Inc.
Homestead Christian Care Inc.
House of Friendship of Kitchener
Housing York Inc.
Hunke Homes Ltd.
Jefferson Property Maintenance
John Howard Society
K&G Holdings
Keefer Developments Ltd.
Ken Papakiriazis
Kenora District Services Board
King Street Holdings Ltd.
King Street Properties (Elmira) Ltd.
Kingston & Frontenac Housing Corporation
Kingston Home Base Non-Profit Housing Inc.
Kitchener Housing Inc.
K-W Working Centre for the Unemployed
L.M. Kovacevic Inc.
Labour Sponsored Community Development Group
LaCapanna Homes Incorporated
Lambton County Developmental Services
Lancer Tiger Lofts Corporation/Urban Non-Profit Homes
Le Villageois de Lafontaine
Leasenet Holdings Ltd.
Lobo Township Non-Profit Apartment Corporation
London Affordable Housing Foundation
M.D. Kovacevic Inc.
Mahogany Management
Mainstay Housing
Making Room Community Support for the Homeless Incorporated
Manitoulin-Sudbury District Social Services Administration Board
ManTech Services
Maple Hill Creek Apartments Inc.
Maple Tree Community Housing Corporation
Martinway Contracting Ltd
Maryland Place Inc.
Matrix Affordable Homes for the Disadvantaged Inc.
McLean Co-operative Homes
Meadows Court Properties
Medallion Properties
Meie Management and Investments Ltd.
Mennohomes Inc.
Miracle Place - Wiarton
Mission Services of London
Moloney Project Development Corporation
Mount Albert United Church Senior Citizens’ Foundation
Multifaith Housing Initiative
Municipality of Chatham-Kent
Muskoka Women’s Advocacy Group
Needlewood Glen Housing Co-operative Inc.
Nelms Group
Nepean Housing Corporation
Niagara Falls Masonry Contractors Inc.
Nishnawbe Homes Inc.
Northern Gate Investments Inc.
Novi Construction Ltd.
NUC-TUCT Non Profit Homes Corporation
Oakdale Landing Inc.
Old Fire Hall Apartments Limited
Ontario Aboriginal Housing Support Services Corporation
Ottawa Community Housing
Ottawa Salus Corporation
Owen Sound Municipal Non-Profit Housing Corporation
Parkdale Activity - Recreation Centre
Peel Housing Corporation
Peterborough Community Housing Development Corporation
Peterborough Housing Corporation
Physically Handicapped Adult Rehabilitation Association
Pinecone Investments Inc.
Port Dover Apartments Inc.
Queen Bagot Inc.
Quex Property Corporation
R. Paul Martin Construction
Rainy River District Social Services Administration Board
Reena
Regional Municipality of Durham
Regional Municipality of Halton
Regional Municipality of Niagara
Regional Municipality of Peel
Regional Municipality of Waterloo
Regional Municipality of York
REMMCOR Ltd.
Residences at St. Andrews Georgetown Corporation
RMJ Properties Inc.
Senior Citizens Apartment Ltd.
Sherwood Apartments Inc.
Skylite Residential Inc.
Spallacci Contracting Ltd.
Springale Development Inc.
St. Andrew’s Georgetown Corp.
St. Catharines Kiwanis Club
St. Catharines Mainstream Housing Project
St. Clair West Affordable Housing (Ossington) Group Incorporated
St. Clare’s Multifaith Housing Society
St. Elizabeth Homes Society
T. Valeri Construction Ltd.
Taras Shevchenko Homes for the Aged
TGFG Ventures Inc
The Corporation of the County of Simcoe
The Daniels Corporation
The Elizabeth Fry Society of Kingston
The Governing Council of the Salvation Army
The Shaw House Corporation
Thunder Bay District Social Services Administration Board
Tipi Moza (Iron Homes)
Toronto Community Housing Corporation
Town of Tillsonburg Non-Profit Housing Corporation
TVM King Street Inc.
TVM Schoolhouse Inc.
TVM Tower Residences Inc.
Twin Pine Village Co-op Inc.
U.N.T. Family Holdings Inc.
United Counties of Leeds & Grenville
United Counties of Prescott & Russell
Uptown Downtown Suites
Victoria Park Community Homes Limited
Viva Bathurst Developments Incorporated
Walnut Apartments Inc.
Walter Ostojic and Sons
West Lorne Heritage Homes Not For Profit Corporation
West Toronto Support Services for Senior Citizens & the Disabled Inc.
Williamsburg Non-Profit Housing Corporation
Women’s House Serving Bruce and Grey
Woodgreen Community Housing Inc.
Young Women Christian Association Kitchener-Waterloo
Your Homes of Brantford
Youth and Family Resource Centre
YWCA
Closing text:
Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing . Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program