Canada housing minister Ahmed Hussen, , Sukh Dhaliwal, Member of Parliament for Surrey-Newton, Randeep Sarai, Member of Parliament for Surrey Centre, Ken Hardie, Member of Parliament for Fleetwood-Port Kells, John Aldag, Member of Parliament for Cloverdale-Langley City and Brenda Locke, Mayor of the City of Surrey announced $11.4 million in funding for Surrey, one of the 41 recipients of the third round of the Rapid Housing Initiative’s (RHI) city stream. This investment is set to help create at least 23 new units.
This is made possible by the Government of Canada’s additional investment of $1.5 billion through RHI, bringing the program’s total to $4 billion to support the country’s most vulnerable. This investment is expected to create at least 4,500 more affordable housing units for Canadians in severe housing need across the country, with 25% of investments going towards women-focused housing projects.
RHI provides funding to facilitate the rapid construction of new housing and the acquisition of existing buildings for the purpose of rehabilitation or conversion to permanent affordable housing units. The additional funding for the third round of RHI will be divided into two streams: $1 billion through the Projects Stream and $500 million towards the Cities Stream.
“Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. Through the Rapid Housing Initiative, we are quickly providing new affordable housing units for people who need them most, right across Canada, including here in Surrey. By working closely with our partners to create more affordable housing that meets the needs of Canadians, our government is continuing to deliver meaningful results for Canadians. This is one of the many ways our National Housing Strategy continues to ensure no one is left behind,” said Hussen.
Launched in 2020, the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) is delivered by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), under the NHS.
The first two rounds of the RHI exceeded expectations and are expected to create more than 10,000 units instead of the 7,500 initially planned. This includes more than 3,300 units to support women and more than 4,200 units to support Indigenous Peoples.
The RHI takes a human rights-based approach to housing, serving people experiencing or at risk of homelessness and other vulnerable people under the NHS, including women and children fleeing domestic violence, seniors, young adults, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, people experiencing mental health and addiction issues, veterans, 2SLGBTQI+ individuals, racialized groups, and recent immigrants or refugees.
“Creating homes to address the housing crisis is a priority for the City of Surrey. I thank the Government of Canada for this significant contribution through the Rapid Housing Initiative. This funding will help Surrey residents thrive by creating safe and stable housing for our most vulnerable residents who are or at risk of being homelessness. Homelessness is an evolving challenge and real solutions can be found when all levels of government work together,” said Locke.
