The federal and New Brunswick governments will invest more than $13.3 million to support the construction of three housing projects in Miramichi, including the East Side Affordable Housing Development (ESAH) project.
The ESAH project, a three-storey apartment building located at 344 Wellington St., will have 21 mixed-market residential units geared toward non-elderly singles, families, and people with disabilities. Ten of the 21 units will be affordable and benefit from rent supplements over 20 years, while two units will be fully accessible. The parking area and main floor are designed to be barrier-free. Currently under construction, ESAH is expected to be completed in March.
The federal government provided $2.4 million for the project through the National Housing Co-Investment Fund, while the provincial government is providing $1.19 million in rent supplement funding over 20 years, along with $600,000 through the Affordable Rental Housing Program (ARHP). The city of Miramichi is also providing $136,000.
Additionally, two other housing projects in Miramichi will receive funding. The 2108 Water St. project received nearly $2.5 million from the federal government through the National Housing Co-Investment Fund for the construction of 20 new affordable housing units for youth at risk, as well as women and children who are victims of violence. The province contributed $1.05 million to the project through the ARHP, along with $1.78 million in rent supplement funding over 20 years, while the city of Miramichi contributed $140,000. The project is expected to be completed in August.
Freida’s House, a project by the Miramichi Emergency Centre for Women, located at 45 Waterfront Dr., received nearly $1.8 million from the federal government under the National Housing Co-Investment Fund’s Women and Children Shelter and Transitional Housing Initiative, to convert a building into an eight-unit, second-stage supportive housing development for women and children leaving violent households. The province of New Brunswick also contributed $705,618 through the ARHP and $950,000 in rent supplement funding over 20 years, while the city of Miramichi contributed just over $90,000. The project is expected to be completed in June.
The governments also announced a combined contribution of $230,000 through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and the province of New Brunswick, to help the city establish the Miramichi Regional Housing Authority.
“We are pleased to support private and non-profit developers in all regions of the province to help address the housing needs of New Brunswickers,” says Dorothy Shephard, provincial minister of social development. “Housing issues are a priority for our government. Thanks to the partnership with many developers, we expect to see the creation of hundreds of new affordable housing units in the coming years.”
