Kitchener church to be converted to affordable housing unit

KITCHENER, ONT. — Two new affordable housing developments in Kitchener, Ont. will get $5.4 million from the federal and provincial governments.

St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, located at 544 Bridgeport Rd. E., is being transformed into a new five-storey, mixed-use building with 48 rental housing units, 12 of which will be accessible. The building will feature wide hallways, roll-in showers and electric scooter storage, states a release, adding it also includes worship space for St. Paul’s, a community garden, shared meeting space and a community kitchen. The project is being developed in partnership with the church, MennoHomes and Parents for Community Living and funding is being delivered through the Ontario Priorities Housing Initiative (OPHI) and the Investment in Affordable Housing program (IAH).

A new 13-unit stacked townhouse development is also being built at 18 Guelph St. and is being funded through IAH. It will include 10 one-bedroom units, two three-bedroom units and one five-bedroom unit. The building will draw energy from solar panels to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Both OPHI and IAH are meant to help communities address their local housing needs by funding new rental construction, home repairs, housing allowances, rent supplements or home ownership.