Region of Durham commits $7.45 million towards the development of affordable housing

Whitby, Ontario –The Regional Municipality of Durham will provide $7.45 million to support the development of two affordable housing projects through the Region’s new At Home Incentive Program.

Riverbank Homes Limited will receive $5.5 million to build 75 units in the City of Oshawa and Kindred Works will receive $1.95 million to build 13 units in the City of Pickering.

Riverbank Homes proposes one- and two-bedroom units within a six-storey building at 109 Colborne Street West in Oshawa. The building will support seniors and persons with disabilities.

Kindred Works, established by the United Church of Canada to repurpose church properties and respond to Canada’s housing crisis, will be developing housing at 1066 Dunbarton Road in Pickering. The development will include 41 rental units (13 affordable units and 28 market rent units) targeting equity deserving groups including Indigenous Peoples, 2SLGBTQI+, recent immigrants and persons with disabilities.

These projects support the Region’s commitment to initiate the development of 1,000 new affordable rental housing units by 2024, as outlined in At Home in Durham, the Durham Housing Plan 2014 to 2024 and the Master Housing Strategy.  

For information about the At Home Incentive Program, visit durham.ca/AHIP.

Quotes

“This $7.45 million commitment through the At Home Incentive Program will improve housing choice, affordability and sustainability in our community, and will address the urgent need for affordable housing through an expedited planning approvals process. Everyone deserves an affordable, comfortable and safe place to call home, which is why the Region remains committed to developing 1,000 new affordable rental housing units by 2024.”

-  John Henry, Regional Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Region of Durham.

Quick facts:

• In March 2022, Regional Council endorsed the new At Home Incentive Program (AHIP) to encourage development of new affordable rental housing through funding and expedited planning approvals.
• The AHIP supports construction of new housing for low-income households, including households on the Durham Access to Social Housing wait list, and to grow the supply of safe, adequate and affordable rental housing.
• To be eligible for the AHIP, projects must provide a minimum of five affordable housing units. Projects may include new construction; conversion of non-residential buildings to rental housing; addition of new affordable buildings/units to existing sites/buildings; and community housing redevelopment that increases the supply of affordable housing units.
• For more information about the AHIP, visit durham.ca/AHIP.

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For media inquiries, please contact Corporate Communications.