WINNIPEG -- The Manitoba government announced a new program to help people who are behind in their rent payments, need to move to more suitable housing, or are at risk of eviction.
On Monday morning, Families Minister Rochelle Squires announced that the province is providing $5.6 million to the Manitoba Non-Profit Housing Association (MNPHA) for the creation of a rent bank to help low-to-moderate-income families.
The Manitoba Rent Bank will provide tenants with interest-free loans and will create housing stability for Manitobans who can’t pay shelter costs.
“We know that the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the challenges faced by renters throughout the province causing unexpected financial hardships for many,” Squires said.
“In some cases, these hardships may have even put them at risk of eviction.”
The MNPHA will administer the program, which will be delivered regionally through local rent banks.
Squires noted that this funding will help to prevent homelessness and ease the strain on families.
The Manitoba government will pilot the Manitoba Rent Bank for two years and will evaluate the program to determine if it’s needed in the future.
HELPING MUNICIPALITIES
On Monday, Squires also announced the province is providing $12 million in grant funding to 10 municipalities to help with affordable housing needs.
The funding will go to Brandon, Dauphin, Flin Flon, Morden, Portage la Prairie, Selkirk, Steinbach, The Pas, Thompson, and Winkler. Each municipality will get to determine how to best address housing affordability and development in its own jurisdiction.
“This pandemic does not know geographic bounds and COVID-19 has been equally disruptive to the lives of vulnerable Manitobans outside of Winnipeg,” Squires said.
“Lower-income families have been particularly hard hit.”
The province noted that this funding will benefit the groups that are more likely to experience housing barriers, including Indigenous households, single-parent families, and new Canadians.
