Speaking Notes for

Mr. Randy Kamp, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and Member of Parliament for Pitt Meadows – Maple Ridge – Mission

On behalf of

The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development

Opening Event for The Cedars

7380 Hurd Street
Mission, B.C.
October 28, 2006
2:00 p.m.

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Good afternoon. Bonjour.

I am pleased to be here today, on behalf of my colleague, the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development — and the Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Today, we are here to celebrate the opening of The Cedars project.

Here in Mission, and right across the country, Canada’s New Government is getting things done for Canadians. We’re putting more money in their pockets by lowering taxes, helping with choice in child care by giving parents $100 a month for each child under six, and providing municipalities with funding through the gas tax. We’ve also introduced important new changes to Compassionate Care leave, brought in incentives to help young people get into the trades through apprenticeship grants and provided $1 billion for post-secondary education.

Our ongoing commitment to affordable housing is helping to provide support for projects like this one. The Cedars will provide 58 assisted living units for seniors, allowing them to live as independently as possible in their community.

Canada’s New Government is very proud to be working in close cooperation with the Province of British Columbia to fund this project, through federal funding of $1.4 million under the Canada – B.C. Affordable Housing Agreement.

Through CMHC, our national housing agency for more than 60 years, the federal government provides approximately $2 billion a year in housing assistance across the country. This primarily supports some 633,000 lower-income households. For the people of British Columbia, this represents a total of about $240 million annually — in support of about 72,000 lower-income households.

My government believes that all Canadians should have a fair chance to own or rent their own home. That’s why our 2006 federal Budget also provided a one-time strategic investment of $1.4 billion in new housing trust funds for provinces and territories to invest in affordable housing.

Today's event marks an important step forward for the people of Mission and demonstrates what we can achieve when we work together. When it comes to building communities, it takes the efforts of many to achieve success. It takes partnerships at all levels of government. And it also takes creative and innovative people with a vision.

Thank you to all those involved in this project, especially the Mission Association for Seniors’ Housing. By bringing together local community groups, these partnerships are helping to ensure that our lower income seniors will find safe and affordable places to call home.

Thank you for joining us today. Merci.