Proponents can now submit an initial expression of interest for project funding through the federal government’s Rapid Housing Initiative
Winnipeg, MB – The City of Winnipeg is receiving $12.5 million of capital funding from the federal government under the newly announced Rapid Housing Initiative. The funding, which is being distributed through the Major Cities Stream of the program, will be used to expedite the delivery of affordable housing units to vulnerable people and populations targeted under the National Housing Strategy, especially those affected by COVID-19.
In addition to projects the City of Winnipeg is already aware of, the City is inviting proponents – which includes non-profits, businesses, developers, citizens, or anyone with great ideas that could help to address homelessness in Winnipeg – to identify any projects currently planned that may fit the parameters of the Rapid Housing Initiative and to submit an initial expression of interest detailing their project by Friday, November 6, 2020. Proponents can submit a project description through the submission form available at winnipeg.ca/rapidhousinginitiative.
“Housing, and particularly housing unsheltered Winnipeggers, continues to be a focus of my advocacy directly to Prime Minister Trudeau alongside counterparts on the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' Big City Mayor's Caucus,” said Mayor Brian Bowman. “The announcement of $12.5 million in support of the City of Winnipeg is a direct result of that advocacy. I want to thank Prime Minister Trudeau for his ongoing support for housing.”
The City recognizes the timelines are very compressed for this initial stage, however, the expression of interest requires only basic information from those with projects already defined.
Any individual project must contain a minimum of 5 units/beds and meet all program requirements including affordability as defined by CMHC. A minimum of 49 units are required to be constructed amongst all projects. Please visit the CMHC website for complete information on Rapid Housing Initiative program requirements.