MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
December 17, 2020

HAMILTON, ON – Today, the City of Hamilton closed the real estate transaction with Hamilton East Kiwanis Non-Profit Homes (HEK) and Victoria Park Community Homes (VPCH) on the 2.84 ha (7.2 acre) site located at 60 Caledon Avenue in Hamilton.

The City purchased the former Mountain Secondary School property in 2018, by investing $3.13M from the City’s $50M Poverty Reduction Investment Fund, with the goal of creating a family focused affordable rental project, utilizing collaborative solutions to achieve goals within the City’s Housing and Homelessness Action Plan.

The City completed a unique Conditional Sale process for the land at 60 Caledon Avenue, and the successful proponent was the Caledon Community Collaborative, the partnership submission of HEK and VPCH.

The City is contributing $5.073M in-kind towards the development. This contribution reduces the capital cost of the project helping it to achieve affordable rents. The partnership also secured Seed Funding from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation through the National Housing Strategy.

HEK and VPCH have been working towards a partnership for development for several years. Caledon Community Collaborative will be the founding partnership between the two independent organizations. A formal partnership of this kind between multiple non-profit organizations is a new model in Hamilton, and both non-profits are confident that their collaboration will be replicable across the country, encouraging further joint developments of this kind in Canada.

This collaboration will support Hamilton is Home’s initiative of developing 3000 affordable units over three years. It is also in alignment with the Government of Canada’s objective under the National Housing Strategy to create a new generation of housing in Canada, providing more Canadians a place to call home.

Community consultations are targeted for 2021.

Quotes

“I am excited to work with Victoria Park Community Homes, Hamilton East Kiwanis Non-Profit Homes Inc. and the Ward 8 community towards the development of badly needed affordable housing on the Hamilton Mountain.”
– Ward 8 Councillor John-Paul Danko

“This project represents an incredible opportunity to deliver affordable housing through a partnership of two of our strongest providers, in a way that fosters inclusion and community growth. The ability to house larger households in areas outside of our downtown continues to build on our strategic goals to address housing challenges throughout the City.”
– Edward John, Director of Housing Services, City of Hamilton

“We are so excited for the opportunity to provide additional affordable housing to our community, and we are equally as excited to be doing it in a partnership with Hamilton East Kiwanis Non-Profit Homes.”
– Lori-Anne Gagne, Chief Executive Officer, Victoria Park Community Homes

“The Board of Directors of Kiwanis Homes has been committed to addressing the need for more affordable housing in the Hamilton Region. We believe that creating strong partnerships with innovative, farseeing, and responsive partners, such as Victoria Park Community Homes Inc. and the City of Hamilton, will make this aspiration a reality.”
– Brian Sibley, Executive Director, Hamilton East Kiwanis Non-Profit Homes Inc.