On Nov. 11, Sudbury MP Viviane Lapointe announced that Greater Sudbury was one of 41 municipalities to be selected for the third round of the federal government’s Rapid Housing Initiative.
The $500-million fund is being allocated to select municipalities to support the construction of 4,500 affordable housing units across the country “for people with severe housing needs,” the news release states.
Lapointe said, as the largest municipality in Northern Ontario, she said she pushed for Sudbury to be one of the 41 selected communities.
“In discussions with stakeholders and constituents, the housing needs of Sudbury are often raised as a growing concern in our community,” Lapointe said in the news release. “Sudbury needs safe and stable housing, and this funding stream will help create greater access to housing. I look forward to working with the new mayor and council in developing housing options that will meet the needs of our vulnerable populations, and low-income families.”
The Rapid Housing Initiative was launched in 2020 under Canada’s National Housing Strategy and is administered by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. The strategy is a 10-year plan valued at more than $72 billion.
The federal government describes the housing initiative as “human rights-based” and aimed at vulnerable populations experiencing or at risk of homelessness, including “women and children fleeing domestic violence, seniors, young adults, Indigenous people, people with disabilities, people experiencing mental health and addiction issues, veterans, 2SLGBTQI+ individuals, racialized groups, and recent immigrants or refugees.”
