TORONTO, Nov. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Canadian Helen Keller Centre (CHKC) proudly announces that more than 56 people who are deafblind or living with other physical disabilities will soon have newly built, affordable and accessible housing in Toronto’s Etobicoke-Lakeshore neighbourhood. The new apartment complex will help reduce CHKC’s waitlist and give more people with vision and hearing loss access to an independent life. People with other disabilities will use any remaining units.
James Maloney, Member of Parliament for Etobicoke-Lakeshore, and Deputy Mayor Amber Morley (Etobicoke-Lakeshore) will join CHKC for the groundbreaking at 150 Eighth Street in Toronto on Monday, November 18, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. ET.
CHKC will be represented at the groundbreaking by Board Chair Philip Corke, real estate developer and Board Director Anupam Kothari and Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Robbins, who are leading the project together.
“We are incredibly proud to be expanding the affordable housing that CHKC provides for deafblind consumers. Every home in our new building at 150 Eighth Street will be accessible, and some will be fully or universally accessible, which makes a housing unit suitable for people of all ages and abilities while anticipating future needs,” said Robbins. “The apartment complex will also help to reduce social isolation, improve the quality of life for vulnerable deafblind individuals experiencing homelessness or living in unsafe environments, and create a community without barriers.”
The property at 150 Eighth Street is a partnership between CHKC, the City of Toronto and the federal government through CMHC. The new six-storey building (see renderings below) will have one-, two- and three-bedroom homes alongside a range of shared spaces and amenities, including a rooftop garden. The 56-unit apartment complex is scheduled for completion in July 2025. Occupancy by members of the deafblind community will then commence.
“A safe and secure home is of vital importance for a better quality of life and strong communities. The 150 Eighth Street project will provide housing stability for people with disabilities from our community along with the support they require for their future success. Our government is pleased to work with our partners to help bring this project to life and, most importantly, support those in greatest housing need,” said James Maloney, Member of Parliament for Etobicoke-Lakeshore, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities.
“I am so honoured to be here to witness the start of this incredibly impactful project that serves residents seeking not just a home that works for them, but a community that can provide them with supports and a real sense of belonging,” said Deputy Mayor Morley. “On behalf of the City of Toronto, I congratulate the Canadian Helen Keller Centre for championing this work and look forward to welcoming the 56 residents to the neighbourhood next year.”
The CHKC apartment complex will also include a 6,500-square-foot state-of-the-art training facility where people who are deafblind can learn essential life skills to aid in their independence while caring for their families and homes. The dual disability of deafblindness impacts over 2% of Canada’s population, representing 602,160 consumers nationwide and including 246,370 in Ontario, according to Statistics Canada’s latest Canadian Survey on Disability.
Customized for the varying needs of each individual, CHKC training courses include safe travel, communication, computer essentials, use of iOS and Android devices, home management skills, cooking and kitchen essentials, personal grooming and money management. Instruction will be available in English, French, and American Sign Language (ASL) through one-on-one classes and group workshops.
CHKC also offers support staff for various community-based programs, including intervenor services, which are provided by highly skilled professionals trained to act as the eyes and ears of a person who is deafblind. Intervenors help individuals to navigate their environment, communicate, make their own choices and achieve as much independence as possible. Access to on-duty intervenors will be available in the new CHKC building 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and consumers can also book one-on-one sessions with an intervenor. Additional related support services and social programs that evolve around sharing meals, gardening and other peer group activities will also be offered.
Funding for 150 Eighth Street is being provided under the second round of the federal government’s Rapid Housing Initiative (RH2). The project also benefits from incentives from the City of Toronto in the form of waivers of development charges, planning and building fees, and property tax relief on an ongoing basis. Donors, including the Kothari Group, Sunita and Vinod Vyas, and Canadian Foundation for Physically Disabled Persons, have also made generous gifts as CHKC seeks to raise an additional $6 million for this project.
Rendering of CHKC’s new 56-unit affordable, accessible apartment complex for the deafblind community at 150 Eighth Street in Toronto’s Etobicoke-Lakeshore neighbourhood.
Rendering of CHKC’s new 56-unit affordable, accessible apartment complex for the deafblind community at 150 Eighth Street in Toronto’s Etobicoke-Lakeshore neighbourhood.
About Canadian Helen Keller Centre
Canadian Helen Keller Centre (CHKC) offers training, intervenor services and affordable housing for deafblind consumers.
CHKC’s Rotary Cheshire Apartments (RCA) at 422 Willowdale Avenue in North York is North America’s only barrier-free, independent living apartment residence with intervenor services for people who are deafblind. The RCA tenants are active adults and seniors who live independently in their apartments.
The organization also operates Canada’s only residential training centre for people who are deafblind. CHKC’s training centre has played an important role in the lives of individuals, their families and the community since opening its doors in July 2001. Dedicated staff and instructors offer classes to improve skills needed for daily living, which facilitates independence and helps people who are deafblind care for their families and homes. CHKC also provides core programming in technology, orientation and mobility, communication and the use of an intervenor, a specially trained professional who acts as the eyes and ears of a person who is deafblind.
Customized for the varying needs of each individual, CHKC courses include safe travel, computer essentials, use of iOS and Android devices, cooking and kitchen essentials, household management and personal finance. Instruction is available in English, French and American Sign Language (ASL) through one-on-one classes, group workshops, intensive residential stays and/or in a consumer’s home.
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Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
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