$10.8 M from federal government will house 53 people by end of the year: mayor

More than $10 million from the federal government for rapid housing in Hamilton will be used to build homes for at-risk and Indigenous women as well as seniors within the next 12 months.

The details of the promised $10.8 million were announced by officials including Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas MP Filomena Tassi and Mayor Fred Eisenberger on Tuesday.

The money will be used to create 45 units that will house 53 people currently on the city's wait list and will be move-in ready within the next year, said Eisenberger, who called it a "giant step forward."

The following projects are ready in Hamilton:

• A new modular building at 137 George St. will provide permanent housing with supports for 15 women at risk of homelessness in two and three-bedroom apartments. City councillors voted in September to look at the feasibility of modular homes. 
• A commercial property at 180 Ottawa St. N. will be converted into 12 bachelor units for Indigenous women who are homeless or at risk of losing their housing.
• Office space in the Wesley Community Homes building at 195 Ferguson Ave. N. will be made into one-bedroom apartments for 11 people who are homeless, along with a two-bedroom unit for a superintendent.
• Commercial space on the ground floor of a social housing building for seniors at 350 King St. E. will be transformed into 15 one-bedroom units for seniors.

Housing has been a high-profile issue in Hamilton recently.

The visibility of people sleeping rough has grown in Hamilton during the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting the city to establish new rules around tent encampments. Then in late November, demonstrators camped out in front of city hall for 15 days, calling for police to be defunded so that money could be invested into free housing.

As of September, the waiting list for social housing sat at around 6,200 households, although some are currently in social housing and waiting to be transferred to other units. CityHousing Hamilton figures show the cost of constructing a new affordable housing unit sits at around $475,000.

During an interview with CBC News following the announcement, Eisenberger emphasized the importance of the 12-month turnaround time for the projects as a way to supply housing as quickly as possible for those who need it.

"We're working as hard as we can to identify … resources and collaborations to provide more and more housing," he said.

"That work will continue whether people are protesting or not protesting."

City looking for any funding 'we can lay our hands on'

Adam Vaughan, a Toronto MP and parliamentary secretary for housing, said the Hamilton projects were his first announcement as part of the rapid housing initiative, praising the city for its focus on housing.

"It's easy to come back to Hamilton, because Hamilton keeps coming back to Ottawa with ideas, with opportunities and with a plan."

Vaughan added that he anticipates more applications from the city through the initiative.

"I would remind housing providers and activists and advocates in Hamilton that there is still another half-billion dollars for project-specific funding available also to the city and to proponents."

Eisenberger said the city is already eyeing applications and "looking at every funding resource we can lay our hands on" in order to continue providing more affordable housing.

"You can rest assured we're going to be applying heavily to get some of those funds."