Off-reserve housing and home ownership gets big boost by Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services
Press Release
OAHS Announces Over $20.4 Million in Funding
Sault Ste. Marie, ON, Oct. 19 - Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services (OAHS) is pleased to announce $20.4 million in funding to deliver 144 units under the First Nation, Inuit, Métis Urban & Rural Housing (FIMUR) Rental Component Program.
Click to visit OAHS web site
Click here for the Assisted Home Ownership Program Application
The goal of the FIMUR Program is to help address housing needs for
Aboriginal people in Ontario living off-reserve, designed and delivered
based on community engagement processes. Don McBain, Executive Director
of OAHS comments, "This announcement provides great opportunity for the
eight experienced urban Aboriginal housing providers to reduce current
waiting lists for applicants over the long term while stimulating the
economy in their respective communities through new construction and
building rehabilitation."
Proponent submissions were evaluated
by an independent Proposal Review Committee who reported their
recommendations to the OAHS Board of Directors for final review and
approval. The Board has approved the following proposals:
- Neech-ke-When Homes Inc., Sault Ste. Marie - 16 units - $2,160,000
- Oonuhseh Niagara Native Homes Inc., St. Catharines - 8 units - $1,360,000
- Atlohsa Native Family Healing Services Inc., London - 12 units - $1,406,900
- Native Inter-Tribal Housing Co-operative Inc., London - 29 units - $3,480,000
- Hotinohsioni Incorporated, Brantford - 27 units - $3,970,440
- Gignul Non Profit Housing Corporation, Ottawa - 28 units - $4,752,958
- Can-Am Urban Native Non-Profit Homes Inc., Windsor - 12 units - $1,500,425
- Tungasuvvingat Inuit, Ottawa - 12 units - $1,780,000
About the FIMUR Housing Program
The FIMUR Housing Program has two (2) components:
The Rental Housing component (approximately $51M for approximately 360
units) is a one-time capital program that includes new construction,
acquisition of existing vacant residential or non-residential buildings
for repair or conversion to affordable rental housing, and new
supportive and transitional housing.
The Homeownership
Assistance component (approximately $6M for approximately 200
households) is a forgivable loan which provides down-payment assistance
to families, who are currently renting, and would like to purchase a
home or homeowners who are no longer entitled to reside in their
residence. The loans are interest free and forgivable after five years
if the homeowner remains in the home.
Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services (OAHS) has been allocated $60M for outside of the GTA.
Funding is 100% capital and flowed from a federally funded Off-Reserve
Aboriginal Housing Trust, of which Ontario received $80M.
About Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services (OAHS)
OAHS is a Corporation without share capital that is mandated to:
- provide housing and repair programs with a specific focus on the Aboriginal community, to be delivered cost-effectively;
- provide central policy/program administration and develop training for Aboriginal Housing provider groups;
- undertake responsibility for matters related to socially assisted, culturally appropriate off-reserve housing; and
- utilize the talent, skills and experience of the Aboriginal community
to the greatest extent possible in the allocation, delivery,
construction and long term management of programs.
The OAHS
Board is comprised of representatives appointed by Métis Nation of
Ontario, Ontario Federation of Indian Friendship Centres, and Ontario
Native Women's Association.
"Providing safe affordable housing is our mandate. Creating homes is our goal."
For
more information on OAHS or the FIMUR Program, including both
Homeownership and Rental Components, please visit us online at http://www.OntarioAboriginalHousing.ca, call 1-866-391-1061, or write to:
Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services
Attn: FIMUR Assisted Homeownership Program
500 Bay Street, Suite 200
Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6A 1X5
"Supported by the Province of Ontario"
For further information: Media Contact: Don McBain, Executive Director, Tel: (705) 256-1876 ext 202, E-mail:
dmcbain@oahssc.ca;. Program Contact: Justin Marchand, Programs Delivery Manager, Tel: (705) 256-1876 ext 213, E-mail: