Development of more affordable housing units in Timmins is underway
An old building in downtown Timmins is getting a new look. It's the "Laroplex" building at the corner of Spruce Street South and Third Avenue.
Construction on a new facade is just about done and officials with the Cochrane District Social Services Administration Board (CDSSAB) said work on the inside will take place over the winter months.
Thanks to some government funding, the housing development division of social services bought the building last August and the project is bringing more affordable housing spaces to the city.
"So it’s a nice little mix of residential and commercial ... which the development entity of the CDSSAB is looking for in properties in the downtown area," said Antoine Vezina, the housing development manager for the agency. "Just to have a diversity of income and to sustain the residential component of the property.”
And, he said he's keeping his fingers crossed for more funding in the future.
"The wait-list at Cochrane DSSAB ... is in the multiple hundreds ... and you know from COVID we’re seeing that affordability is in great need so ... to avoid homelessness issues and things like that we need more affordable housing units," said Vezina.
He also said the people who reside in units like these are often at risk of homelessness and said with this project, CDSSAB is playing a great role in trying to avoid that.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
WHO likely to issue wider alert on contaminated cough syrup
The World Health Organization is likely to issue a wider warning about contaminated Johnson and Johnson-made children's cough syrup found in Nigeria last week, it said in an email.
WATCH Video shows dramatic police takedown of carjacking suspects chased through parking lot north of Toronto
Police have released video footage of a dramatic takedown of a group of teens wanted in connection with an attempted carjacking in Markham earlier this month.
Canada, G7 urge 'all parties' to de-escalate in growing Mideast conflict
Canada called for 'all parties' to de-escalate rising tensions in the Mideast following an apparent Israeli drone attack against Iran overnight.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
After COVID, WHO defines disease spread 'through air'
The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time on what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.