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http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonto ... /20/housing-ed.html; x3 `, F7 w$ Q3 I4 r- P7 a! T# h
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Edmonton plans thousands of affordable homes' @* u$ Y' n7 E H
Last Updated: Wednesday, June 20, 2007 | 11:02 AM MT
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7 I, A T9 r% W% L _ ~An ambitious city plan to build almost 4,000 new units of affordable housing in Edmonton over the next three years is welcome news for an advocate for the poor.
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Cam McDonald, a spokesman with the YMCA, said demand is brisk these days for the organization's simple accommodations, which have become home to hundreds of people.
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9 q, ^8 ?$ b6 R: M& B( VThe $170 million project, approved Tuesday by city council, could lighten that load by providing everything from new apartment units to basement suites and mobile homes, he said.
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"I'm hoping that we can really start adding to the affordable housing, transition housing and supportive housing infrastructure in our community," he said.
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1 q5 Z- u8 I; A* OIn the past, most people stayed at the YMCA for a few days or weeks until they could get established. Now they remain for months.1 G9 s! s1 N4 a; F" P
! P5 |+ G; ? ~4 y2 `& X"I did find a job within the first couple of days, but it's very difficult to find a place to live," said Darlene LePage, who moved from Montreal with her daughter to make a better life in boom-time Alberta." x) p: K" a. t( X+ R
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3 T+ p3 ~% w3 h8 bCity officials hope some of the new affordable housing units will be ready in as soon as 18 months.
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But McDonald said the work will have to continue for five or even 10 years if Edmonton is going to meet the needs of those who can't find affordable housing.. |, m9 }: U1 ^% n% I t
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"It's going to take time — this is not an overnight solution by any means — but I think we are making good progress." |
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