By Dylana Milobar

Over 1,100 affordable homes on the way for Indigenous people in B.C

Nov 25, 2018 | 9:06 AM

BRITISH COLUMBIA — Indigenous people on and off reserves will soon have access to more than 1,100 new affordable homes in 26 communities province-wide.

In a release yesterday, the B.C Government says the first round of homes chosen through the Building BC: Indigenous Housing Fund include nearly 780 off-reserve homes and close to 370 homes on-reserve.

This makes B.C the first province in Canada to invest provincial housing funds into on-reserve housing.

The announcement is part of a 10-year, $550-million commitment to build 1,750 new units of social housing for Indigenous peoples, these 1,143 new homes will be built over the next two to four years.

The nearest on-reserve homes to Kamloops will be 24 homes in Merritt, through $4.8 million provided to the Upper Nicola Indian Band. 

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There are 7 projects slated for the Interior, with 148 homes planned throughout Cranbrook, Kanaka Bar, Kelowna, Merritt, Westbank, Windermere, and in the Northern part of the Interior.

The announcement yesterday was made on the Katzie First Nation reserve in Pitt Meadows, which is receiving $7.8 million for 39 units of on-reserve housing for Indigenous youth, Elders and families.

“I am extremely grateful that our youth and family affordable housing project was approved,” said Chief Grace Leon Cunningham of the Katzie First Nation in the release. “The needs identified by our community members both off- and on-reserve are significant and the vision of the supportive living model that was created is a stepping stone to not just housing, but toward healing.

“It is a monumental gift for our community that will have significant impact for generations to come. On behalf of those soon to be housed and Katzie First Nation, I would like to sincerely thank BC Housing and the Honourable Minister Selina Robinson for supporting the vision for health and wellness for our families.”

BC Housing will work with Indigenous non-profit housing providers and First Nations to finalize the projects over the next few months, while a second proposal call is expected in the spring of 2020.

The provincial government will provide approximately $231 million to deliver these new homes for Indigenous peoples.