Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
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Human Resources and Skills Development Canada

www.hrsdc.gc.ca

McIntyre House
Souris, Prince Edward Island

Highlights

Renovations to a vacated RCMP building create affordable supportive housing for adult men with developmental disabilities and support needs.
Client group: Homeless adult men who have developmental disabilities
Developer: Souris Group Home Association
Number of units: 7
Tenure: Rental
Who was involved? Souris Group Home Association, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, federal government, Province of Prince Edward Island, Eastern Kings Health Region, the community.

An RCMP barracks that was no longer needed in Souris, Prince Edward Island, became a new home for men with developmental disabilities.

Since 1980, McIntyre House has provided a home and life skills training for men with developmental disabilities in this rural community on Prince Edward Island’s eastern tip. In 2002, it needed extensive repairs. The Souris Group Home Association, which operates the residence, began considering alternatives to costly renovations—at the same time that the RCMP vacated the barracks in the centre of Souris.

The Affordable Housing Solution

The Souris Group Home Association decided that renovating the RCMP building—which was in relatively good condition—was a better option than building a new home or renovating the old building. Under the Surplus Federal Real Property for Homelessness Initiative, the Association acquired the building—valued at $91,000—for $1. The Association received an interest-free Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) Proposal Development Funding loan to help cover upfront expenses to develop their proposal.

As the Souris Group Home Association upgraded and retrofitted the RCMP building, the people of Souris rallied around it. The parish priest quit smoking, took up running and participated in a marathon to raise $28,000. A potato farmer gave the project a $5,000 cheque and service clubs held fundraising events.

Completed in 2004, the newly renovated building has seven units and provides residents with a home environment. The home also offers life skills training to help residents work towards more independent lives. Six of the units provide supportive housing for men with cognitive disabilities. One of these units has accessibility features for a resident with physical disabilities. The seventh unit is set aside for short-term housing in case of an emergency or for respite care. Among the many advantages to the project’s new location is its proximity to the Harbour View Training Centre, where most of the residents work.

McIntyre House received funding from several government programs. Through the Affordable Housing Initiative, CMHC and the Province of Prince Edward Island contributed $55,100. McIntryre House also received $168,000 from CMHC’s Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program (RRAP) and $183,200 from the Canada/Prince Edward Island Labour Market Development Agreement. The residence receives operating support from the Eastern Kings Health Region.

CMHC Contact

Caroline M. Arsenault, 506-851-7725, cmarsena@cmhc-schl.gc.ca

Additional Information

CMHC news release on project opening
www.cmhc.ca/en/corp/nero/nere/2004/2004-09-18-1300.cfm

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, Homelessness Partnering Strategy
www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/homelessness/surplus_federal/index.shtml

This document was produced by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, highlighting the successful partnership between Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, CMHC and Public Works and Government Services Canada.

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Date Modified:
2011-07-26