First Nations Housing Sustainability Initiative
Through consultation with yaqan nuʔkiy, Ɂakisq’nuk, Ɂaq’am, Yaq̓it ʔ, a·knuqǂi ’it and Shuswap Band, each First Nation identified their affordable housing needs and ways the Trust could provide support to help address those needs. Through these conversations, the First Nations Housing Sustainability Initiative was created.
This initiative aims to support First Nations in the Basin to enhance and increase their affordable rental housing on reserve and offers support in the following three areas in each First Nation:
- Asset Management and Capacity Building: support to enhance housing management capacity including specialized training, software, equipment, tools, condition assessments and consultants.
- Energy Retrofits and Repairs: including health and safety repairs and energy efficiency upgrades.
- New Builds: support to plan a new project and capital grants to create new units of band-owned affordable rental housing on reserve.
Since 2017, in Basin First Nation communities the Trust has supported:
- creation of 102 new affordable homes
- upgrades to 213 homes
- installation of 70 solar arrays on affordable housing
How to Apply
Reach out to housing@ourtrust.org to connect with Trust staff to explore your project and possible Trust support further.
Recent Projects
The Trust is involved in First Nation housing projects across the Columbia Basin.
Explore a few recently supported projects below:
Ɂaq̓am
- Construct 20 new Affordable Homes – build 20 energy-efficient affordable rental homes with rooftop renewable solar energy generation. Funded in 2020.
- Affordable Housing Renewal – complete energy efficiency upgrades, health and safety repairs and re-builds for up to 61 affordable homes.
ʔakisqnuk
- Construct 12 new Affordable Homes – build 12 new affordable rental homes with rooftop renewable solar energy generation. Funded in 2022.
- Affordable Housing Renewal- complete home assessments and inspections, health and safety repairs and energy efficiency upgrades for 32 affordable homes.
- 6-Plex Affordable Housing – build six affordable rental homes in a six-plex building. Funded in 2018.
- Affordable Mini Home Construction – build one new affordable 250 square foot tiny home. Funded in 2017.
Shuswap Band
- Shuswap Band Affordable Housing Renewal – complete health and safety repairs and energy efficiency upgrades at up to 13 existing affordable homes.
- Construct five new Affordable Rental Homes – build five new affordable rental homes with renewal solar energy generation. Funded in 2021.
- Construct eight new Affordable Tiny Homes – complete eight new affordable rental tiny homes with renewable solar energy generation. Funded in 2020.
- Old Village Site Duplexes – complete two duplexes to create four new affordable rental homes in at the old village site. Funded in 2018.
yaqan nukiy
- Construct six new Affordable Rental Homes – build six affordable homes with fibre optic cable installation, construction-related training opportunities and renewable solar energy generation. Funded in 2020.
- Affordable Housing Renewal – complete home assessments and inspections, health and safety repairs and energy efficiency upgrades for up to 19 affordable homes.
Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi’it
- Construct 11 new Affordable Rental Homes – build 11 energy-efficient affordable rental homes with rooftop renewable solar energy generation. Funded in 2018.
- Eight new Affordable Rental Homes – build eight new affordable rental homes with renewable energy generation, fibre optic cable and provide construction-related training opportunities in partnership with the Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation’s Rapid Housing Initiative in the community. Funded in 2023.
- Affordable Housing Renewal – complete home assessments and inspections, health and safety repairs and energy efficiency upgrades for up to 21 affordable homes.
