Margaret Pfoh, Chief Executive Officer of the Aboriginal Housing Management Association, at the announcement Saturday (Photo: Twitter-@ahma_bc)
The B.C. Government has announced Saturday that Indigenous peoples on and off-reserve will have access to more than 1,100 new affordable homes in 26 communities.
The first set of homes selected through the Building BC: Indigenous Housing Fund includes almost 780 off-reserve homes and close to 370 homes on-reserve totalling $231 million.
The four off-reserve projects on Vancouver Island that were announced are:
- 124 homes in Colwood — $24.8 million to Vancouver Aboriginal Land Trust to build
- 40 homes in Langford — $8 million to M’akola Housing Society to build
- 24 homes in Port Hardy — $4.8 million to Gwa’sala-Nakwaxda’Xw Nations to build
Fort Rupert was the only on-reserve project for the Island, the Kwakiutl First Nation received $1.2 million to build six homes.
The ministry says this makes B.C. the first province in Canada to invest provincial housing funds into on-reserve housing.
“This housing project is exceptional news for Indigenous peoples who have faced extraordinary housing challenges that are out of proportion compared to other Canadians,” said Scott Fraser, Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation in a statement.
Terry Teegee who is with the Regional Chief with the British Columbia Assembly of First Nations says the initiative will fill a critical gap from the federal governemnt.
“The housing situation for many B.C. First Nations communities has been crippled by decades of federal government funding policies and models that haven’t kept up with our needs, nor with economic fluctuations… this provincial funding will begin to make a difference, but we still have a long way to go,” said Teegee.
The announcement was made by Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing on the Katzie First Nation reserve in Pitt Meadows, one of the recipients of the housing.
The Fund looks to provide $550 million over the next 10 years to build the 1,750 units of social housing for Indigenous peoples, on and off-reserve.
The rest of the project are:
Interior: 7 projects/ 148 homes
Off-reserve:
Cranbrook: $7.8 million to Aqanttanam Housing Society – 39 homes
Kanaka Bar: $4 million to Kanaka Bar Indian Band – 20 homes
On-reserve:
Kelowna: $8.5 million to Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society – 42 homes
Merritt: $4.8 million to Upper Nicola Indian Band – 24 homes
Westbank: $3.4 million to Westbank First Nations for two projects – 17 homes
Windermere: $1 million to Akisqnuk First Nation – six homes
North: 9 projects / 288 homes
Off-reserve:
Prince George: $10 million to Aboriginal Housing Society – 50 homes
Prince Rupert: $12 million to Lax Kw’alaams WAAP Housing Society – 60 homes
Quesnel: $5.4 million to Dakelh and Quesnel Community Housing Society – 27 homes
Terrace: $9.6 million to M’akola Housing Society – 48 homes
On-reserve:
Kitamaat Village: $7.5 million to M’akola Housing Society – 23 homes
Lax Kw’alaams: $4 million to Lax Kw’alaams WAAP Housing Society – 20 homes
Quesnel: $2 million to Lhtako Dene Nation – 10 homes
Skidegate: $4.8 million to Skidegate Band Council – 24 homes
Witset: $5.2 million to Witset First Nation – 26 homes
Fraser: 5 projects / 244 homes
Off-reserve:
Hope: $9 million to Mameleawt Qweesome Housing Society – 45 homes
Surrey: $21.6 million to Kekinow Native Housing Society – 108 homes
Tsawwassen: $7.2 million to Tsawwassen First Nation – 36 homes
On-reserve:
Coquitlam: $3.2 million to Kwikwetlem First Nation – 16 homes
Pitt Meadows: $7.8 million to Katzie First Nation Housing Society – 39 homes
Vancouver Coastal: 5 projects / 269 homes
Off-reserve:
Vancouver: $22.6 million to Vancouver Aboriginal Land Trust – 113 homes
Vancouver: $8.4 million to Aboriginal Mother Centre – 42 homes
On-reserve:
Bella Bella: $1.2 million to Heiltsuk Tribal Council – six homes
Sechelt: $6.8 million to Shishalah First Nation – 34 homes
Vancouver: $14.8 million to Musqueam Indian Band – 74 homes
Julian Kolsut
