Mayor, manager discuss housing, funding with province

Following discussions with the province last week, the town council  will submit a proposal for grant money for a $4.5 million, 42-bedroom apartment building.

The province has announced it will make $142 million available at the beginning of 2009 to fund affordable housing projects for applicants who demonstrate substantial need and have a suitable plan.

With 21 two-bedroom units, the apartment would be owned by Mountain Park Lodges, built at the east end of Geikie Street and be available at subsidized rates to all residents of the community for 20 years.

To address concerns that funding rules tend to exclude Jasper, Mayor Richard Ireland and municipal manager George Krefting met with Yvonne Fritz, associate minister of housing and urban development, and Ray Danyluk, minister of municipal affairs.

Ireland said the meeting specifically addressed provincial money that is supposed to be available to municipalities.

“There have been two rounds so far and Jasper has been excluded in both cases,” he said. “We discussed the fact that our circumstances may be different but we still have affordability issues.”

A grant would not fund 100 per cent of the project, but would provide the difference between what it costs to construct the building and what the rent will support.

Municipal manager George Krefting said the application was rejected last year, when the province was offering a total of $68 million.

Results of this year’s application will be announced in November.

The meeting was also attended by Banff council members including Mayor John Stutz, town manager Robert Earl, and marketing and communications manager Michelle Gurney.

Krefting said Jasper and Banff also talked to Fritz about concerns regarding additional costs and land rent incurred because the towns are located in national parks.

“The minister is sympathetic,” Krefting said. “The two towns of Jasper and Banff indirectly generate large amounts of revenue for the province through tourism.”

He added previous meetings have led to infrastructure funding for such projects as trail development and parking lots, and talks are ongoing.

Ireland said town representatives meet with the province two or three times yearly, and overall this round of discussions was productive.

“I’m encouraged,” he said. “These things don’t get changed over night, but I think we did receive a very favourable hearing.”