HORNEPAYNE HOUSING CORP JOINED FORCES WITH RIDEOUT BAY DEVELOPMENTS TO DELIVER SHORT-TERM STAY HOTEL

 HORNEPAYNE HOUSING CORP JOINED FORCES WITH RIDEOUT BAY DEVELOPMENTS TO DELIVER SHORT-TERM STAY HOTEL  The Township of Hornepayne is a rural community situated in Northern Ontario in the heart of the Boreal Forest. The Township is located in the northern part of the Algoma District whose Services Administration Board (ADSAB) is the designated service manager for housing in the area. Some of Hornepayne's key industries are railway work (CN Rail has a significant hub in the Township) and forestry. Other growing industries include agriculture, tourism, governmental services, education and health services. While the population has steadily declined since 1996, in recent years there has been an increase in the number of jobs in the community, particularly because of new hiring activity by CN Rail and an increase in the number of contract workers for seasonal work and mining. This has put pressure on the local housing stock, particularly on the available rental apartments in the community.   Unofficial reports indicate as many as 50 employees are forced to live in neighbouring communities more than 100 kilometers away while local residents have started to rent out rooms to temporarily accommodate newcomers. If the number of jobs in the area increases further, this is likely to continue in the near future. However, renting out a room is a temporary solution that does not accommodate for future growth nor does it capture additional GDP growth as well as the associated tax revenues that could lower the overall contribution for ratepayers.  Hornepayne Housing Corporation's (HHC) affordable housing strategic goal is to address the various housing needs in Hornepayne along its housing continuum. This strategy and its underlying business case will in most part be implemented within a Public-Private Partnership framework involving broader public participation.  The town has recently completed a housing needs and demand assessment study which among other things identified the lack of emergency shelters and short-term rental housing/hotels could be the reason for homelessness. Temporary workers often sleep in their cars as a result. To address this need and to foster economic growth and development HHC is partnering with Rideout Bay Developments to deliver a 44 room Studio 6 Extended Stay Suites Hotel with anticipated completion in 2023.