Affordable housing project in Sudbury gets $6.3M from feds

An affordable housing project in Sudbury received $6.3 million in federal funding on Friday.

The Sudbury Peace Tower Housing Project is receiving money from the federal government's Rapid Housing Initiative program.

Sudbury was one of 41 communities chosen across Canada. Sudbury's Lorraine Street project received money from the first stream of the program.

Sudbury MP Viviane Lapointe, Nickel Belt MP Marc Serré and Mayor Paul Lefebvre made the announcement Friday under the city's water tower, where construction has begun.

"What's really important is that this is affordable housing," Lapointe said.

"So for those populations that need it the most -- and often in hard times -- are the ones that are the most impacted."

The five-story building will contain 38 single-bedroom units for individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

"We're building for our most vulnerable population," said Lefebvre.

"And there's a strong need out there. So this is going to be filling a major gap that we already have."

The city's plans to end homelessness by 2030 were recently unveiled, and Lefebvre said the number of ongoing housing projects in Sudbury will help.

"This adds up to over 90 units coming on board within, I believe, within the next 12 months," he said.

Sudbury MP Viviane Lapointe, Nickel Belt MP Marc Serré and Mayor Paul Lefebvre made the announcement Friday under the city's water tower, where construction has begun. Also there were Wolves owner Dario Zulich and Eileen Mahood. (Amanda Hicks/CTV News)

"With (Pearl Street), 30 units with Loraine Street, Sparks Street, the Manitou project, and that's another 100 new units of affordable housing … That's 350, but 100 which are affordable."

The Peace Tower project has been in the works for more than five years.

Honours Jeremy Mahood

Developer and Sudbury Wolves owner Dario Zulich said he and his late friend, Jeremy Mahood, discussed ideas for the land after Zulich purchased it in 2016.

"The intention was that, you know, (the peace tower) shines up at nighttime, whether it be a goal lit or not, it's a light that everyone's city looks up to and those in need to use it as a beacon of hope," Zulich said.

Mahood, a reverend known for helping those in need, passed away five years ago.

"He was a really good friend," Zulich said. "His wife and I wanted to keep that dream alive."

Zulich donated the property to the city in the hopes of this project coming to fruition.

"I'm really, really proud," he said.

Mahood's wife, Eileen, said for herself and her family, this project is a tribute to her husband's legacy.

• Download our app to get local alerts on your device
• Get the latest local updates right to your inbox

"(Jeremy) and Dario had been talking for a long time of how to make the City of Sudbury a better place to be, and one of the things they had talked about was where could people go, where they could find peace and hope?" she said.

"That led to the peace tower idea from the water tower ... And we -- Dario and I -- never lost the dream."

The project is set to be completed in 2025.