CANADA MORTGAGE AND HOUSING CORPORATION (CMHC)
Business Centre
400 - 2600 Granville St.
Vancouver, BC	V6H 3V7

CMHC conducts research and demonstration projects and provides housing research grants to support Canadian researchers and companies aimed at improving the housing and living conditions of Canadians. This research leads to better building practices, better housing information and higher quality homes. For example, in the area of housing for people with disabilities, CMHC built a model Barrier Free Home which toured Canada and is now permanently on display at Access Place in Toronto, Ontario.

CMHC, in partnership with a local BC company called Adaptable Housing, recently conducted a research and demonstration project in Maple Ridge, BC, called the User Friendly Home. The home was built as a model to demonstrate the benefits of building housing that is accessible, adaptable and automated to meet the needs of Canadians, both now and for the future. This type of housing will be of particular benefit to our growing population of seniors and people with disabilities who wish to live independently in their homes.

731-5733 (Business Centre)	TTY 737-4129 (Vancouver)
Victoria 995-3400	Cranbrook 426-5905
Kelowna 861-6049	Kamloops 679-2863
Prince George 561-5433

 

Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program for Disabled Persons (RRAP)
RRAP is a program offered by CMHC to assist homeowners and landlords with modifications needed to make their residence accessible for occupants who have a disability (which may include mobility, visual, hearing, allergy-related or cognitive). The program provides loans to assist with these modifications. For example, modifications could be in a variety of areas of the homes, such as installing a ramp or building an accessible bathroom. A portion of the loan may be forgivable, depending on your household income, and provided you occupy your home for up to five years. RRAP will provide for a maximum loan of $18,000 of which a forgivable portion of up to $12,000 is available for low income households. See the Listings section under Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. for the RRAP program nearest you.

Social Housing
CMHC provides ongoing financial assistance to about 50,000 housing units in BC and the Yukon to help people of low to moderate incomes and those with special housing needs. To find out about housing for people with disabilities, please call the BC Housing Registry at 433-2218.