Speaking Notes for

Brian Fitzpatrick, Member of Parliament for Prince Albert

On behalf of

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

Opening and Funding Announcement for Bedrock Manor

570 Broderick Avenue
Creighton, Saskatchewan
November 3, 2006
3:00 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 Bedrock Manor.

Here in Creighton, 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, provided $1 billion for post-secondary education, and made an additional $1.4 billion commitment to affordable housing in our last budget.

Our ongoing commitment to affordable housing is helping to provide support for projects like this one. These 12 garden apartments will allow low- to moderate-income seniors in Creighton 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 Saskatchewan to fund this project, through federal funding of about $531,000 under the Canada – Saskatchewan Affordable Housing Agreement. In addition, I am pleased to announce that we will also be contributing an additional $267,500 towards the construction of another 12 units to be completed next year.

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 Saskatchewan, this represents a total of about $152 million annually — in support of about 35,000 lower-income households.

Today's event marks an important step forward for the people of Creighton 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 Bedrock Property Group. Your efforts to work with municipal, provincial and federal representatives to meet the housing needs of seniors represent an inspiring example of how the private and public sectors can cooperate. Thank you for all you are doing.

Thank you for joining us today. Merci.