SUMMIT TO FOCUS ON HOUSING IN SASKATCHEWAN

The ongoing effort to effectively meet the growing demand for housing in Saskatchewan is taking center stage at the Building Communities, Building Saskatchewan Housing and Development Summit being held April 19-21, 2011 in Saskatoon. The summit is presented by Saskatchewan Housing Corporation in partnership with the Canadian Home Builders' Association - Saskatchewan.

"Maintaining the Saskatchewan Advantage demands leadership in all areas, including housing," Social Services Minister and Minister responsible for Saskatchewan Housing Corporation June Draude said. "This summit will allow government and housing industry stakeholders to take an in-depth, co-operative approach to solving our province's housing challenges, and to continue to develop a housing system that enables all citizens to build a better future."

"It is incumbent upon all communities, industry partners, builders, developers, municipalities, and the province to work together to build the necessary capacity to satisfy the emerging demand for housing throughout Saskatchewan," Canadian Home Builders' Association - Saskatchewan CEO Alan Thomarat said. "It is Saskatchewan's time we can build our future and chart a strong future for all communities. We are all in this together, building communities and building Saskatchewan."

The Building Saskatchewan, Building Communities Housing and Development Summit will bring together approximately 200 housing stakeholders from across the province to identify steps they can take to support a full range of housing solutions now and into the future. Participants will explore local and regional housing needs, investment opportunities and partnerships, discuss housing and development planning stages, infrastructure, purpose-built rentals, the regulatory environment and examples of creative housing.

The summit is the culmination of extensive consultations over the last two months, including 12 meetings with 350 stakeholders in locations around the province. The results of these consultations, and the results of discussions at the summit, will form the basis of a comprehensive housing strategy that will support a growing population and ensure that housing is accessible to everyone.

As part of the recently released Saskatchewan Advantage Housing Plan, more than $252 million is being invested in Saskatchewan to add more than 4,600 new homeownership and rental housing units across the province over the next five years. This is in addition to the 861 new government-funded rental units completed over the last three years and the more than 1,100 additional government-assisted homes that are currently under development around the province. The overall aim of the comprehensive housing strategy will be to complement these investments with creative solutions that make life more affordable for Saskatchewan citizens and help the Saskatchewan housing market match the demands of a growing population and a growing economy.

Steering and planning committee members for this summit include representatives from the Canadian Home Builders' Association - Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Housing Corporation (SHC), Enterprise Saskatchewan, Municipal Affairs, the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA), Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), Saskatoon Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) and the Association of Saskatchewan Realtors.

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For more information, contact:

Linda Saliken
Social Services
Regina
Phone: 306-787-0246