The O’Chiese First Nation has been chosen as one of three Canadian communities to receive federal funding through the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI).
The RHI provides capital contributions to facilitate the rapid construction of new housing and/or acquisition of existing buildings for the purpose of rehabilitation or conversion to permanent affordable, supportive, or transitional housing. Government officials say the objective is to quickly create new permanent affordable housing units that support people who are vulnerable and prioritized under the National Housing Strategy.
The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, alongside George Chahal, Member of Parliament for Calgary Skyview, Chief Clifford Poucette, Goodstoney First Nation, Tyson Howett, Construction/Project Manager, O’Chiese First Nation, and Chiniki First Nation, announced federal funding of over $13 million through the Rapid Housing Initiative Project Stream to support rapid housing initiatives for three Indigenous communities in southern Alberta.
Through Budget 2022, the Government of Canada says it is investing an additional $1.5 billion over two years, starting in 2022-23 to extend the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI), which is expected to create up to 4,500 new affordable housing units, with at least 25 per cent of funding going towards women-focused housing projects. Officials say this initiative was originally announced on September 21, 2020, with a budget of $1 billion. However, round 2 was announced June 30, 2021, with a budget of $1.5 billion.
Through the RHI, governmenet officials say these projects will support the immediate construction of 44 homes and the renovation of four others at O’Chiese First Nation, Goodstoney First Nation and Chiniki First Nation, which are two of three First Nations that make up Stoney Nakoda First Nation. The projects are expected to provide safe and affordable housing to people who are at risk of homelessness, while offering a place to call home.
Canada’s National Housing Strategy (NHS) is described as a 10-year, $82-plus billion plan that will give more Canadians a place to call home.
O’Chiese First Nation, located approximately 60 km northwest of Rocky Mountain House, is contributing $929,000 towards the projects. Goodstoney First Nation, located in Mini Thni (Morley), is contributing $1.6 million to support projects on both the main reserve in Mini Thni and on Bighorn Reserve, 110 km west of Rocky Mountain House. Chiniki First Nation, also located in Mini Thni, is contributing almost $1.3 million towards a project on the main reserve.
“The Rapid Housing Initiative helped us to put roofs over the heads of 18 families. The barrier-free homes that we were able to build has allowed us to take care of a significant portion of our community with accessibility concerns and reduced our housing waitlist by 10 per cent. While we still have a long way to go to eliminate our list, it is projects/programs like this that will allow us to make strides toward our goal of having housing for all OCFN’s members. We would like to thank CMHC for funding this opportunity and look forward to future partnerships on similar projects,” says Tyson Howatt, Construction/Project Manager, O’Chiese First Nation.
The RHI, delivered by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) as part of the National Housing Strategy (NHS), provides capital contributions to develop new, permanent affordable housing. It covers costs associated with the construction of modular multi-unit rentals, the conversion of non-residential to affordable multi-residential homes, and the rehabilitation of buildings in disrepair and/or abandoned, into affordable multi-residential homes. These investments made under the RHI are expected to support thousands of construction-related jobs for Canadians from coast to coast to coast.
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