Federal, provincial governments announce funding for more affordable housing units in New Brunswick

The federal and provincial governments announced funding of $5 million to go towards adding more affordable housing units in Fredericton.

Two new housing projects and 25 homes will be added to the city.

"We have a housing crisis in Canada,” said Ahmed Hussen, federal Housing and Diversity and Inclusion Minister. “It's including New Brunswick and Fredericton and our job is to just continue working at it and having the partnerships to get us there. We can't do it alone we have to do our part which is invest significantly.”

The minister was unsure what the cost of rent would be for the units locally, but the homes will be supplemented for 20 years by the provincial government.

"We really need more affordable housing units, this is going to help some people,” said Matthew Hayes, with the NB Tenants Coalition. “The other thing that I thought though is this is New Brunswick is losing 33 affordable housing units a week on the 2016 to 2021 pace, so this is basically an announcement that is going to help for two and a half weeks.”

The homes being funded are specifically for indigenous peoples, newcomers, black Canadians, and women and children fleeing domestic violence.

Federal representatives also announced $9.3 million for 54 affordable homes throughout other regions of the province.

"It's not enough to focus on one aspect of the housing spectrum I think there is a need right across,” said Hussen. “There's people who are on the street who need permanent housing solutions.”

Fredericton is one of 41 recipient cities of the federal government Rapid Housing Initiative.

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