Manitoba promises new money to keep rents low at private non-profit housing complexes

The Manitoba government is promising new money to keep rents low at private non-profit housing complexes.

Families Minister Rochelle Squires says $1.4 million will be available this year alone, with more in future years.

The money will be available to non-profits who have operating agreements with the province that require affordable rents and that are due to expire in the next few years.

Squires says the money can be used to pay for renovations and other capital work, or to supplement rents into the future.

The move follows the sale earlier this year of Lions Place in downtown Winnipeg.

The non-profit owners sold it to a private company after its affordable-housing agreement with the province expired.

That raised concerns among tenants that rents would rise sharply.

The province stepped in January and gave the new owner $1.2 million to freeze rents for two years.

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