News Release Communiqué FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 60 - UNIT .HOUSING PROJECT FOR VETERANS NOW OPEN IN WINNIPEG Veterans in Winnipeg will benefit with the opening of a 60-unit apartment and hostel complex at Princess Street and Higgins Avenue which will provide housing and services to veterans currently living in downtown hotels and rooming houses. Ceremonies to officially open the project will be held Friday, March 30th at 2:00 P.M. Joining uniformed members of the Joint Veterans' Housing Society Inc. (JVHS) for the ceremony will be Gerry Duchanne, Manitoba Minister of Housing and Minister of Urban Affairs; Gerald Merrithew, Federal, Minister of Veterans Affairs who will also represent Alan Redway, Minister of State (Housing); and Joseph Yuen, City of Winnipeg. The JVHS of Winnipeg owns and manages the six-storey building, which contains, in addition to the 56 one-bedroom apartments, four overnight units, a medical assessment and treatment facility, counselling office,' exercise and physiotherapy room, multi-purpose area and a dining facility. Total capital cost of the project was $4.2 million, of which about $3.8 million was financed by the province. Ongoing operating costs for the 56 housing units, including loan repayment, will be shared on a 75-25 per cent basis by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and Manitoba Housing. It is anticipated the federal share of this subsidy will be $330,000 in the first year, the provincial share is estimated at $110,000. In addition, a grant of $241,000 was provided by the Winnipeg Core Area Initiative through its Housing Development Stimulus Program. The Winnipeg 'Core Area Initiative is directed by a Policy Committee consisting of Jake Epp, Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources Canada; Gerry Ducharme, Minister for Urban Affairs Manitoba; and Bill Norrie, Mayor of the City of Winnipeg. An additional $180,000 for the four hostel units and to furnish the rooms and amenity space was provided through a fund-raising drive by the Joint Veterans Housing Society Inc., an umbrella group consisting of members from the following veterans organizations: The Royal Canadian Legion; Army, Navy and Air Force Veterans in Canada; War Amputations of Canada (Manitoba Branch); Hong Kong Veterans in Canada (Manitoba Branch); the Korean Veterans in Canada (Manitoba Branch); and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Department of Veterans Affairs will also provide a grant of $30,000 per year to cover administrative costs. Manitoba 410. WINNIPEG Housing 4441144ir %PrAlOo CORE AREA INITUITIVE CMHC SCHL 2 The facility was developed by the Dynasty Group Consultants and was completed for occupancy on February 1, 1990. The facility has already reached a 90% occupancy rate. Winnipeg's Veterans' Manor is the second such project in Canada, the first having opened in Vancouver three years ago. -30- For further information: Terry LaFerriere Brian Ricketts Manitoba Housing CMHC 945-3899 983-5659 Art Ballingall Wayne Kinrade Director - JVHS The Dynasty Group 774-2233 694-1777 .