Donated federal property to provide housing for an Aboriginal family  

KINGSTON, ONTARIO— The Honourable Peter Milliken, Member of Parliament for Kingston and the Islands, and representatives of Tipi Moza (Iron Homes) today participated in an official frost breaking ceremony to celebrate the transfer of a surplus federal building that will be used as a residence for Aboriginal families who are either homeless or at risk of homelessness.  

Mr. Milliken welcomed the funding of $332,588 by the Honourable Claudette Bradshaw, Minister of Labour and Minister responsible for Homelessness. The donation of the building, valued at $300,000, was made available under the Surplus Federal Real Property for Homelessness Initiative, and $32,588 was made available for additional capital and salary costs under the Supporting Communities Partnership Initiative, all under the National Homelessness Initiative (NHI). 

“Tipi Moza (Iron Homes) provides much needed support and services to Aboriginal individuals and families who are at risk of becoming homeless,” said Mr. Milliken. “Minister Bradshaw is proud to support this organization in their continued efforts to offer safe and reliable housing to people who need it most.”  

“The federal contribution of the house at 1061 Johnson Street will help us to provide much needed affordable homes for Native families in Kingston with disabilities,” said Jackie Wilmink, President of Tipi Moza.    

The building, located at 1061 Johnson Street, was formerly a detachment house used by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The site will become a single family home accessible to people with mobility disabilities and will house low income Aboriginal families who are either homeless or at risk of homelessness. Priority will be given to larger families, single women with dependents, younger native families and some elders.   

The NHI works in partnership with community organizations, the private sector and all levels of government to help Canada’s homeless people by bringing together various partners to encourage the development of local solutions that work to address particular homelessness needs and issues. The Initiative helps strengthen and broaden partnership efforts to engage more federal departments and agencies, the business community, unions, and other private and public sector interests in addressing the needs of homeless people. 

The Government of Canada launched the National Homelessness Initiative in December 1999 and building on the successes achieved announced $405 million for three years in the February 2003 Budget. Since the National Homelessness Initiative was launched, the Government of Canada has supported more than 628 projects, with total funding of over $125 million, to alleviate homelessness in Ontario. 

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Since December 1999, communities across Canada have undertaken over 1,800 projects, funded wholly or in part by the National Homelessness Initiative.  These projects will result in:

·         The creation of approximately 8,000 new, permanent beds in shelters, transitional, and supportive houses;

·         The construction, renovation, and enhancement of roughly 1000 sheltering facilities and support facilities, such as food banks, soup kitchens and drop-in centres;

·         The transfer of 50 federal surplus properties worth over $9 million, which will result in the creation of 214 transitional and affordable housing units; and

For more information on Tipi Moza, visit: http://tmoz.com/tipimoza 
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