KAMLOOPS — The province is providing more than $10 million for the development of two new affordable housing developments in Kamloops.
One of the developments will be a $3.9 million, 30 unit housing complex for Aboriginal youth aging out of foster care.
The complex will be located at 975 Singh Street.
Colleen Lucier, executive director for Lii Michif Opitemisiwak Family and Community Services, says the project will also include a number of units for Aboriginal elders.
“It’s incredible the difference the presence of elders have, whether it’s in our office, or in a meeting, our youth respond very respectfully,” Lucier said. “We just think having elders part of their daily life, walking the halls, in the common area, maybe cooking with them, or drumming with them, or just talking with them will be another positive influence in their life that they may not have had.”
ASK Wellness will be converting 42 units at the Maverick Motor Inn for people who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, or facing mental health challenges.
ASK Wellness Executive Director, Bob Hughes says the $6.5 million development will provide an opportunity for employment programming.
“It’s location is ideal for that,” Hughes said. “We have the mall, so we have all sorts of industry in the area that we think that folks who have come through a journey of living with mental illness, potentially having substance abuse issues in the past, they need a place to be stable, secure, where the street isn’t coming into their front living room.
“This is a place for people really at the kind of later stages of their journey through from homelessness into being part of community. This is what’s really exciting.”
