News Release

FREDERICTON (GNB) – Six families will be moving into their own affordable homes in the coming months, thanks to a partnership between Habitat for Humanity and the provincial government.

A new funding program for affordable homes is part of the NB Housing Strategy: Housing for All. The program provides a capital investment of $70,000 per unit for up to 10 new homes per year.

“Our Housing for All strategy recognizes the importance of partnerships in addressing the current housing challenges,” said Social Development Minister Jill Green, who is also minister responsible for the New Brunswick Housing Corporation. “Habitat for Humanity has a proven track record of success in providing homes to low-to-mid-income families. This new funding program and partnership is one of the initiatives in our strategy aimed at making homes more affordable.”

The homes currently ready to move to the construction phase are in Fredericton, Saint John, Moncton and Miramichi. This includes a duplex on Albert Street in Fredericton with land donated by the city; a modular built duplex on Water Street in Miramichi on land donated by the city; a three-bedroom modular built bungalow on Churchill Street in Moncton with privately donated land; and a fully accessible bungalow in Saint John with purchased land. More Habitat for Humanity homes throughout the province are also in the planning stages.

“We are proud to be partnering with the provincial government on this exciting initiative that will allow more families much needed access to affordable homeownership,” said Perry Kendall, CEO of Habitat for Humanity New Brunswick. “Habitat for Humanity makes affordable homeownership accessible by removing barriers that make owning a home impossible for many lower-income working families. The generous support provided for Habitat for Humanity through this strategy will allow us to increase the number of families that we are able to serve annually.”

“The benefits of building a Habitat home are significant. For every dollar invested in a home, four dollars’ worth of benefits return to the community. We are so very grateful for this support and are pleased to see additional investments being made in affordable housing,” he said.

Applications are now being accepted for the homes under construction.

Using the Housing for All strategy as a guide, the New Brunswick Housing Corporation is also working with the New Brunswick Non-Profit Housing Association and providing an investment to support the association to build succession and sustainability plans for its member organizations. There are more than 180 non-profits and co-operatives in the province that provide more than 6,500 affordable housing units across the province.

“The long-term sustainability of non-profits and co-operatives is critical to maintaining affordable housing,” said Green. “By supporting and partnering with these organizations, we can ensure the continued growth of affordable housing.”

“Investments made by the New Brunswick Housing Corporation in organizations like Habitat for Humanity and the non-profit housing sector help residents in need of affordable housing,” said Peter Corbyn, executive director of the New Brunswick Non-Profit Housing Association. “This support will strengthen our ability to manage the growth of the sector in New Brunswick.”

“Frederictonians care about housing, and that is why the lot at 590 Albert Street was donated by the City of Fredericton to create more affordable housing units for residents,” said Fredericton Mayor Kate Rogers. “We are proud to support affordable housing projects in Fredericton through land donations, while also working alongside the Province of New Brunswick and non-profit organizations like Habitat for Humanity to ensure housing for all in the capital region.”