The Right Honourable Edward Schreyer Will Help Build Habitat Homes in Four Provinces

August 7, 2003

The Right Honourable Edward Schreyer, former Governor-General of Canada and his wife, Mrs. Lily Schreyer will join Mr. David Hughes, President and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Canada on a tour to build homes in four provinces beginning in Winnipeg. The tour is sponsored in part by RBC Financial Group, The Home Depot, CGC Inc. and Philips Electronics Ltd. This is the first time the Ed Schreyer Work Project has been a tour, rather than a build in one city. "This is such a year of celebration that we thought we would involve the Schreyers differently," said David Hughes. "While the Schreyers are only available for a few visits, there are many exciting builds happening across Canada this year," noted Hughes.

To celebrate the 100th home built by Habitat for Humanity Winnipeg, both the Schreyers and Hughes will be on site at 415 Langside Street Winnipeg on August 9th and 11th to help construct the future home of Moses and Martha Shyllon. This is part of the Yvon Dumont build.

Moving on to Regina, Saskatchewan, the group will assist in framing a single family bungalow on August 12th at 2054 Atkinson Street. They are delighted to be on hand to celebrate Habitat for Humanity Regina's 10th Anniversary. This active affiliate has completed 13 homes and renovated another.

Medicine Hat, Alberta is the next stop on August 13th where work on a triplex will include hanging doors, dividing walls and building a front porch, offering different challenges for Mr. & Mrs. Schreyer and Mr. Hughes. The build site is located at 1147-1151 Elm St.

The last stop is Vancouver, British Columbia for another full day on site at 8745 Government Street, Burnaby, for all three on August 14th. This visit marks the 700th house to be built in Canada since Habitat for Humanity began in 1985. Vancouver is building four town houses and Ed Schreyer and David Hughes will assist building one of the four.

Habitat for Humanity is an independent, charitable, faith-based housing program dedicated to the elimination of poverty housing by building simple, decent affordable homes in partnership with families in need. Habitat for Humanity provides interest-free mortgages to families who would otherwise not be able to purchase their own home. It is not a give-away program. In addition to mortgage payments, each homeowner invests hundreds of hours of their own labour, called "sweat equity", into the building of their house and houses of others. Currently a three-bedroom Habitat house in Canada costs the homeowner between $50,000 to $80,000 depending on location and the costs of land, labour and materials. The average length of a Habitat mortgage in Canada is 20 - 25 years.

Each site will offer photo opportunities and interviews with both Mr. Schreyer and Mr. Hughes at 12:00 noon on each of the above dates with the exception of August 14th, which will take place in Vancouver at 10:30 a.m. PST.

Contact: Linda Jones
Habitat for Humanity Canada
519-885-4565 - ext 220
ljones@habitat.ca