Updated December 2021
It has long been a situation where there is an urgent need for more affordable housing in Central Labrador. The Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay has been actively looking for cost-effective interventions to address the shortages.
The Town recently applied for a second time to the Rapid Housing Initiative through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). The Town was unsuccessful in the pursuit of funding during the first round in late 2020, but in the summer of 2021, CMHC announced the second round of $1.5 billion to create affordable homes. Unfortunately, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation recently advised the Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay that it was unsuccessful in the round 2 application process.
The round 2 application from the Town represented a significant new partnership for the municipality. In collaboration with the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation (NLHC), the provincial public housing authority, the Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay submitted a revised funding application, still seeking 25 units of primarily affordable one-bedroom housing, but with the addition of several two-bedroom units to meet the needs of more low-income parents with children. The partnership with NLHC has deepened, with a renewed commitment of operational and capital support.
The new builds would have been absorbed into the local public housing stock already owned and operated by NLHC. The Town would have therefore benefited from the established expertise of the provincial public housing authority to manage the properties throughout their lifespan. This project would have represented a tremendous inter-governmental partnership with contributions from the municipal, provincial, and federal levels of government. It would have gone a long way towards addressing housing insecurity in the community of Happy Valley-Goose Bay.
The Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay is highly disappointed that the Round 2 Application in the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) Rapid Housing Initiative was not approved. However, the Town remains committed to finding solutions and partnerships to tackle one of the community’s most significant issues.
Updated November 2021:
There is an urgent need for more affordable housing in Central Labrador. The Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay is actively involved in looking for cost-effective interventions to address the shortages.
The Town recently applied for a second time to the Rapid Housing Initiative through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). The Town was unsuccessful in the pursuit of funding during the first round in late 2020, but in the summer of 2021, CMHC announced the second round of $1.5 billion for the creation of affordable homes. The Town is currently awaiting the second-round results, forthcoming in December or early in the new year.
The application from the Town represents a significant new partnership for the municipality. In collaboration with the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation (NLHC), the provincial public housing authority, the Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay submitted a revised funding application, still seeking 25 units of primarily affordable one-bedroom housing, but with the addition of several two-bedroom units to meet the needs of more low-income parents with children. The partnership with NLHC has deepened, with a renewed commitment of operational and capital support.
Should the Town succeed in pursuing funds in this round, the new builds would be absorbed into the local public housing stock already owned and operated by NLHC. The Town would therefore benefit from the established expertise of the provincial public housing authority for the management of the properties throughout their lifespan. This project would represent a tremendous inter-governmental partnership with contributions from the municipal, provincial, and federal levels of government. It would go a long way towards addressing housing insecurity in this community.
The Town will continue to update the public as the results are released in the coming months. In the meantime, should you have any questions or comments about the project proposal, the partnership with NLHC, or the need for affordable housing in the community, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Town. Questions and comments can be directed to the Director of Community Development and Research, Brenna Jarrar, at cd@townhvgb.com or by phone at 709-899-0392.
Updated Early 2021
In early 2021, the Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay applied to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s “Rapid Housing Initiative,” seeking funding for 25 units of affordable onebedroom housing to serve our population of primarily Indigenous homeless residents. The application highlighted the significant nature of the need in our community. The application stressed the gaps and the waiting times in the public housing stock, the intense market pressures in our region, and the incredibly high instances of shelter use (1.3% per capita of our population makes use of the homeless shelter, significantly higher than some major cities, such as Toronto at 0.29% and Vancouver at 0.32%).
In March the Town was advised it was unsuccessful in its application. Unwilling to accept this decision the Town released a media release outlining its concern, click below to see media release:
In support of the Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay’s call for expanded funding through the Federal Rapid Housing Initiative and reconsideration of the Town’s proposed project to build 25 units of one-bedroom housing as one of significant urgency, the Reaching Home Indigenous NL Regional Advisory Board wrote an open letter addressed to the Prime Minister of Canada, Minister Hussen, Minister O’Regan, and MP Jones.
In their letter, the RHINL Board discusses the severity of the housing crisis in our region and the tremendous impact the Town’s proposed project would have on those struggling with homelessness and poverty, who are disproportionally Indigenous peoples.
RHINL is an Indigenous organization that works to better the lives of the Inuit, Innu, and Southern Inuit peoples of Labrador, and their advocacy is a significant display of solidarity and support.
The Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay would like to thank the RHINL Board for their letter and echo their call for increased funding to address poverty and the crisis of affordable housing in Labrador.
Learn more about the Reaching Home Indigenous Newfoundland & Labrador, visit their website at:
Click the following link to download the letter of support: