Work to build 40 units of new housing at the Kitselas First Nation’s Gitaus community east of Terrace is now underway after Kitselas Chief Councillor Glenn Bennett and Elder Ken McDames Sr. broke ground on the project Sept. 14.
The development has a mix of one, two and three bedroom homes located at 2350 Gitaus Road as part of the Kitselas Community Housing Project that will be operated by the Kitselas Housing Society.
The on-reserve project will deliver market and affordable rental housing for members in greatest need, including families, youth, elders, and people living with disabilities.
All common areas, as well as 32 of the units, will be wheelchair accessible or adaptable. Bennett said Kitselas is excited to offer affordable housing to members to fill gaps in seniors’ housing, single and multi family units that will allow the First Nation to bring members home to their community and families.
Ulyses Venegas, director of housing, public works and infrastructure for Kitselas. has been working to make the project happen since 2018.
He said construction began a couple weeks ago on seven different buildings, ranging from townhouses to apartments.
Venegas and his team did a housing needs assessment in 2019 and found a gap in units for single people, single parents, small and larger multi-generational families.
“This is the first time in the history of Kitselas that I know, that there is a project like this where it’s aiming the housing for the actual needs of the community,” said Venegas, who has worked for Kitselas since 2013.
“We came to the community and the community designed what they would like to see and then the architects and all the engineers put a design together.
“There are a lot of single people, single parents and small families looking for affordable housing and there is none so the impact is going to be, in a good way, incredible.”
A sharp and sudden rise in construction costs was a hurdle to overcome, Venegas said, and he’s thrilled to see shovels in the ground.
“It just amazed me how fast and how expensive things are getting right now. But we managed to make it happen and we began construction a couple weeks ago.
“Of course, I’m super excited after working this long on this project.”
Ahmed Hussen, federal minister of housing, promised better housing for Indigenous communities in announcing more than $25 million in combined federal and provincial money for the project on Oct. 13.
Murray Rankin, provincial minister responsible for housing, echoed Hussen.
“Indigenous peoples face disproportionate challenges when it comes to finding and securing a safe and affordable place to call home.
“That’s why our government is developing housing like these new homes for people and families with diverse needs and mixed incomes to ensure that everyone in B.C. has a safe and affordable place to call their own.”
MLA for Stikine Nathan Cullen said the province will work to “build homes like these across the province, to ease the burden on families and help make life better and more affordable.”
The project right now is 18 months to completion, Venegas said, adding that he expects to finish sooner but the time frame includes a buffer in case anything unforeseen happens.
Financing includes an initial $3 million through the federal National Housing Co-Investment Fund in addition to $4.2 million through the federal Canada Community Housing Initiative. The province is putting in more than $2 million from the Building BC: Community Housing Fund.
The Kitselas First Nation provided the land for the project, valued at $300,000.
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