Sisters' Jubilee project gets go ahead

TORONTO - Toronto’s religious sisters have reason for some jubilation over their jubilee project almost nine years after they started. The way has been cleared for construction of 54 affordable homes on an unused plot of land in Toronto’s southeast corner, at Lawrence Avenue and Manse Road.

When the combined forces of all Toronto’s nuns decided they would mark the Jubilee year of 2000 by building affordable housing, they never anticipated the local backlash or years of bureaucratic delay. To accommodate a pressure group of neighbouring residents and local politicians, the Women’s Religious Project proposal for 119 affordable units was cut down to 60, with 54 of them designated affordable.

The 40 Catholic religious orders, Habitat for Humanity and Toronto-based developer Daniels Corporation received permission to begin clearing the site in February.

Habitat for Humanity and the Women Religious Project have mailed out more than 2,500 letters to prospective families on the waiting list for subsidized housing in Toronto.

Habitat will build 14 of the units, with Daniels constructing the rest. Some families interested in volunteering to help build their own homes have already been meeting with Habitat over the last year.