An east Windsor development providing affordable housing for those needing it was unveiled with fanfare Monday.
Representatives from all three levels of government were on hand for the formal dedication of the development at 3100 Meadowbrook Lane, considered the largest passive housing in Ontario.
Meadowbrook Place has 145 units of varying sizes available for people at all income levels, with particular attention paid to families, seniors, and those needing affordable housing.
Passive housing is described as highly energy-efficient housing, using a fraction of the utilities needed for conventional homes. For example, Meadowbrook Place features a basement unit that collects rainwater. It can be recycled for use by up to 30 per cent of the residents, a feature that caught the eye of federal housing minister Sean Fraser.
"They thought down to the building design, how they can take advantage of using natural light, using rainwater to become more efficient but also to reduce the monthly bill for people who call this place home," said Fraser. "It's located right next to a transit station that's going to get people to the services they need. This is the kind of thing we need to be dealing with."
Paul Calandra, the newly-named provincial housing minister, also expressed praise for the design and said it can be an effective model for affordable housing across Ontario.
"It's about removing those obstacles, working with our partners, and telling our development partners that it's time to get on with building those homes," said Calandra. "It's about reimagining how we do things. This is a very, very good example."
Cynthia Summers, CEO of the Windsor-Essex Community Housing Corporation, said Meadowbrook Place is at 70 per cent capacity now, but all the affordable units in the building are spoken for. Rental rates for affordable housing can range from $300 to $900 a month depending on circumstances, but can be as high as $2,300 a month for the larger suites.
Though Monday marked the official opening of the development, residents began moving in in May.
Ottawa has provided $33.8 million, $13.3 million of which is a contribution, through the National Housing Co-Investment Fund (NHCF) to build Meadowbrook Place.
