CANADA AND B.C. CREATE 24 NEW AFFORDABLE HOMES FOR INDIGENOUS FAMILIES AND ELDERS IN KANAKA BAR

Government of Canada Logo (CNW Group/Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation)

The Province of British Columbia Logo (CNW Group/Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation)

KANAKA BAR, BC, Aug. 15, 2022 /CNW/ - Everyone deserves a safe, affordable, and resilient home, no matter where they live.

Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada (PacifiCan), Murray Rankin, Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Housing, and the Directors at The Crossing Place Housing Society, announced a combined investment of over $7.7 million to support the creation of 24 new affordable rental homes for Elders, members of the Kanaka Bar Indian Band, as well as other Indigenous Peoples in the Fraser Canyon region, and families.

The Government of Canada is contributing over $1.4 million through the National Housing Co-Investment Fund (NHCF), $471,000 through PacifiCan's Canada Community Revitalization Fund (CCRF), and $440,000 through a Green Energy Grant. Additionally, the Province, through BC Housing, is providing approximately $5.2 million through the Building BC: Indigenous Housing Fund. Kanaka Bar Indian Band provided the land for the project and established The Crossing Place Housing Society, a non-profit entity, to plan, develop, construct, and operate affordable housing for people earning a low-to-moderate income. The Band is also contributing an additional $150,000.

The Crossing Place will be located off-reserve and the development will consist of 24 affordable homes. There will also be a Community Amenities Building. All buildings at The Crossing Place will be powered through a local on-site electricity generation system. The Crossing Place is intended to be an inclusive housing project that will offer residents and the community a gathering place that will contribute to Kanaka Bar's regional reconciliation and vibrancy. The project will see Kanaka Bar's members and regional residents return to the traditional lands of the community and accelerate Kanaka Bar's transition to self-sufficiency while improving the Fraser Canyon's overall resiliency.

Construction on the building began in October 2021 and is expected to be complete in Fall 2022.

Quotes:

"No relationship is more important to our government than the one with Indigenous Peoples. That is why we are creating 24 affordable rental units in Kanaka Bar and helping Kanaka Nlaka'pamux Nation communities, the town of Lytton and residents across BC through investments in projects like The Crossing Place. Projects like this one are key to a better life for its residents and rebuilding the regional economy following the tragic 2021 wildfires. This is the National Housing Strategy at work." – The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion 

"No relationship is more important to our government than the one with Indigenous Peoples. That is why we are committed to supporting better housing outcomes for elders, families, members of the Kanaka Bar Indian Band and Indigenous Peoples located all throughout the Fraser Canyon region. By partnering with Indigenous organizations such as The Crossing Place Housing Society, we are working to deliver more housing options for Indigenous communities across British Columbia. This is our National Housing Strategy in action." – The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada (PacifiCan)

"The Crossing Place will provide much needed affordable, safe homes on-reserve. Our government is proud to be the first province in Canada to invest in on-reserve housing and will continue to work in partnership to open homes like these across B.C." – Murray Rankin, Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Housing

"Kanaka Bar has been developing The Crossing Place since 2018 and is very excited to operationalize it this fall. The Crossing Place is an inclusive affordable permanent housing initiative that demonstrates true collaboration between Indigenous, Federal and Provincial governments, as well as the industry partners – it's a much-needed step towards meaningful reconciliation. By developing a variety of new energy-efficient and affordable homes in a region struggling to keep up with housing demand, The Crossing Place will add to overall vibrancy and resiliency of Kanaka Bar as well as the Fraser Canyon region."  – Directors, The Crossing Place Housing Society

Quick facts:

• The National Housing Co-Investment Fund (NHCF) is a program under the National Housing Strategy (NHS) that gives priority to projects that help people who need it most, including women and children fleeing family violence, seniors, Indigenous peoples, people living with disabilities, those with mental health or addiction issues, veterans, and young adults.
• With a budget of $13.2 billion, the NHCF plans to:
• Create up to 60,000 new homes
• Repair up to 240,000 homes
• Create or repair at least 4,000 shelter spaces for victims of family violence
• Create at least 7,000 new homes for seniors
• Create at least 2,400 new homes for people with developmental disabilities
• Budget 2022 proposes to advance $2.9 billion in funding under the NHCF to accelerate the creation of up to 4,300 new units and the repair of up to 17,800 units.
• The Government of Canada's National Housing Strategy (NHS) is an ambitious, 10-year plan that will invest over $72 billion to give more Canadians a place to call home.
• The Building BC: Indigenous Housing Fund (IHF) is a 10-year, $550-million investment to build and operate 1,750 new homes, both on and off reserve.
• With this commitment, B.C. became the first province in Canada to invest provincial housing funds into on-reserve housing, a federal jurisdiction.
• Including these homes, there are nearly 1,400 IHF homes completed or underway in 37 communities throughout B.C.

Related links:

• As Canada's authority on housing, CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need, and offers unbiased housing research and advice to all levels of Canadian government, consumers and the housing industry. CMHC's aim is that by 2030, everyone in Canada has a home they can afford and that meets their needs. For more information, please visit cmhc.ca or follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.
• To find out more about the National Housing Strategy, visit: www.placetocallhome.ca
• Check out the National Housing Strategy Housing Funding Initiatives Map to see affordable housing projects that have been developed across Canada.
• To learn about the steps the Province is taking to tackle the housing crisis and deliver affordable homes for British Columbians, visit: https://workingforyou.gov.bc.ca/.
• A map showing the location of all previously announced provincially-funded housing projects in B.C. is available online at: https://www.bchousing.org/homes-for-BC.
• For more information on Kanaka Bar Indian Band, visit: http://www.kanakabarband.ca/.
• For more information about The Crossing Place, visit: http://www.crossing.place.

SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

Arevig Afarian, Office of the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, [email protected]; Media Relations , Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, [email protected]