WINNIPEG -- The Government of Canada announced on Friday that it will be providing $22.85 million to help provide more rental housing options in Winnipeg.

Federal Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Ahmed Hussen, who is also the minister responsible for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), made the announcement virtually at a news conference, saying the funds will help to build 87 residential units at 140 Transcona Blvd.

“We all are here because we all share the same objective, which is to ensure that every resident of the great city of Winnipeg has a safe and affordable place to call home,” Hussen said.

According to the federal government, Building O at Park City Commons, a six-storey multi-residential building, will be receiving this low-cost loan through the government’s Rental Construction Financing Initiative. This initiative, delivered by CMHC, is a national housing strategy that helps to support rental housing construction projects.

“This development will help the people of Winnipeg live closer to where they work, where they go to school and close to transit and other facilities,” Hussen said. 

The minister said the government is a proud partner of the project because it believes that everyone deserves an opportunity to succeed.

“These projects are really putting the needs of Canadians first,” Hussen said. 

“We’re also at the same time stimulating the economy, creating good, middle-class jobs when they’re needed the most.”

Terry Duguid, MP of Winnipeg South, said he sees the city’s housing challenges every day.

He noted many residents have told him that housing affordability is a top concern, adding that the pandemic has deepened some of the most difficult housing challenges.

“We’re not just building new homes for Canadians, but aiming to make those homes accessible, energy-efficient, and just great places to live,” Duguid said.