Contractor, Ongwanada seek government money for 92-unit Kingston apartment building

Ontario Construction News staff writer

ARM Construction Company Ltd. and Ongwanada are seeking government funding to build a 92-unit apartment building in Kingston.

It’s the first partnership proposal that includes the private sector, the municipality and not-for-profit sector to provide on-site supportive affordable housing and the developers are asking for $3.4 million in municipal, federal and provincial funding.

ARM Construction Company Ltd. is a locally owned company whose business

activities include the development and operation of multi-unit rental housing. Ongwanada

supports community members with developmental disabilities and will ensure that on-site

supportive housing is provided for its clients. The government investment would create 28 affordable housing units.

The project site is 1752 Bath Rd., currently the site of the McEwen Animal Hospital and the proposal includes the demolition of the existing building and construction of a 92 multi-unit apartment building of which up to 28 units will be affordable housing units and 20 units specifically dedicated to housing Ongwanada’s developmental disability clientele.

Ongwanada would manage 20 affordable one-bedroom apartments for people with developmental disabilities – targeting young adults and providing 24-hour on-site support for managing dietary needs and meal prep, financial needs, conflict management, access to community health, education and 24-hour on-site support.

The government contribution would include more than $2.9 million from the Capital Investment in Affordable Housing Program and more than $477,000 from the Ontario Priorities Housing Initiative. For 20 years, 20 units would be rented at 60 per cent of market rent and eight would be rented for 80 per cent of market rent.

It is expected that 30 per cent of the development would be affordable units and it will be eligible for the CMHC Seed and CoInvestment Fund. The project will also benefit from a reduction of 30 per cent in its planning application fees as the recently approved fees and charges by-law provides reduced fees based on the percentage of affordable rental units planned for within a development.

The city’s 10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan, released in December, included supportive affordable housing as a priority and the strategic plan includes $18 million over four years to create at least 90 new affordable units.