Saskatoon, feds spending $7.5M to create affordable housing for Indigenous people
The City of Saskatoon and the federal government are spending $7.5 million to create 32 affordable units between two buildings under the expanded Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI).
All the units are being made to support Indigenous people and nine of the units will be for Indigenous women and their children, a news release from the city said.
The first building for Cress Housing Corporation will be at 115 Columbian Place and the building for the Central Urban Metis Federation Inc. will be located at 1520 19th St. W.
The announcement was made Friday afternoon during a virtual Zoom press conference.
Saskatoon Tribal Council (STC) Chief Mark Arcand says he was overwhelmed with joy when he heard the news.
He says the city has a high rate of homelessness and that RHI is a stepping stone investment to help more people that are in need.
“But along with that need of housing comes all the mental health and addiction support and that kind of stuff that’s really important on the trauma side, because we know a lot of Indigenous people, they’ve been affected by residential schools,” Arcand said during the conference.
Arcand says STC plans for a two-storey 18-unit facility that will house single men who are disproportionately represented in the homeless population.
The building will be located in the core area of Saskatoon that is close to the STC House Centre Services where people can access the needle exchange program, elder services and other programs that will "help make a difference in people's lives," Arcand said.
Shirley Isbister with Central Urban Metis Foundation Inc. (CUMFI) says homes with many bedrooms are a major need in the city as Indigenous families often have many children.
“It’s a huge day for us and to be a part of the upcoming housing and to be able to know what we’re going to be securing and building the homes for Indigenous people,” Isbister said.
“It’s in the core area of Saskatoon and we work with so many families so this is going to be an amazing step in this community.”
Both projects are expected to be completed by November 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.