Work is soon beginning on a housing development that the federal government says is both safe and environmentally-friendly.
On Tuesday, the City of Windsor unveiled a new $22 million housing development for 3100 Meadowbrook Lane, in cooperation with the government's National Housing Co-Investment Fund (NHCF) and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), as well as the Windsor-Essex Community Housing Corporation. The high-rise will contain 145 units, which include 76 affordable rental homes with the rest available at market rental rates.
Adam Vaughan, the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Housing and Urban Affairs, said the project is the first step toward bringing more affordable housing to the city.
"It's a great project, not just because it houses so many people, but the way it houses them and how it combines the different communities, such as women escaping violence, people with intellectual disabilities and families looking for safe, secure housing," said Vaughan. "It builds a neighbourhood, not just a house."
Among those who will be housed in the development are senior citizens, with twelve units set aside for those fleeing domestic violence situations, and another four reserved for those with developmental disabilities, with nine to a unit.
The development will also exceed standards in accessibility, with 46 of the units featuring ceiling tracking, bed lifts and smart technology aids to allow people to live independently. Barrier-free common areas will also be featured.
Vaughan said there will soon be partnerships with trade schools to have students and recent graduates assist in the construction because companies will be looking for people with updated skills.
"We know that if we're going to defeat climate change and we're going to build good, strong, environmentally-performing buildings, you're going to need a workforce that knows how to put a solar panel in, that knows how to do hot-water heating, that knows how to do passive energy capture," said Vaughan.
The development, expected to be the largest of its kind in Canada, will be completed by a December 2020 due date.