Liard First Nation opens 15 new homes

WATSON LAKE, YT, Dec. 6, 2024 /CNW/ – Members of Liard First Nation will soon move into their new homes with the completion of 15 new affordable homes in Two Mile, approximately 12 km northwest of Watson Lake.

The homes were constructed by First Kaska Construction Limited Partnership, which is owned and operated by Liard First Nation. The homes are the first 15 homes constructed by their timber home manufacturing plant, Heartland Timber Homes.

With $2.9 million in funding from the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor), First Kaska purchased Heartland Timber Homes in 2022. This company designs and creates timber home kits that can be shipped and assembled on-site. As part of the purchase, a training program was developed to support the manufacturing plant and assembly of the homes and over fifty jobs have been created.

Funding provided for the homes is as follows:

$5.55 million from the federal government through the Rapid Housing Initiative
$1.38 million from Liard First Nation

Quotes:

“No relationship is more important to Canada than the one with Indigenous Peoples. These new affordable homes on-reserve in Liard First Nation provides their residents the opportunity to live in their communities, close to their families, and to be a part of their traditions and cultures. In addition, these homes mark an important milestone as the first 15 homes to be built with Heartland Timber Homes., which is providing training and employment in the community.” – Brendan Hanley, Member of Parliament for Yukon on behalf of The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

“Finding innovative community-based solutions is key to addressing the housing crisis and strengthening economies in the Yukon and in the North. Our government is committed to working with communities and Indigenous partners to create jobs, increase housing availability and contribute to more resilient economies now and for generations to come.” – The Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs and Minister responsible for PrairiesCan and CanNor

“Our Elders are the keepers of our culture and history, and this complex is a testament to our deep respect for them. It also signifies healing from the past and hope for the future, as we work to create spaces that allow our community to grow stronger together. We thank Indigenous Services Canada, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, and the Yukon Housing Corporation for their partnership and support in making this vision a reality.”” – Chief Stephen Charlie, Liard First Nation

Quick facts:

The Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) is part of Canada’s National Housing Strategy (NHS). NHS is an $115+ billion plan to give more Canadians a place to call home. Progress on programs and initiatives are updated quarterly at www.placetocallhome.ca. The Housing Funding Initiatives Map shows affordable housing projects that have been developed.
As of September 2024, the federal government has committed $57.57 billion to support the creation of over 156,000 units and the repair of over 297,000 units. These measures prioritize those in greatest need, including seniors, Indigenous Peoples, people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and women and children fleeing violence.
The RHI is delivered through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), under the National Housing Strategy (NHS). It provides funding to facilitate the rapid construction of new homes and the acquisition of existing buildings to rehabilitate or convert them to permanent affordable homes. With its third phase, launched in 2022, the federal government increased its investment of $1.5 billion through RHI, bringing the program’s total to $4 billion to support those most in need across the country. The additional funding for the third round of RHI is divided into two streams: $1 billion through the Projects Stream and $500 million towards the Cities Stream.
the third phase is expected to create over over 4,500 new homes, of which almost half will be for women and one third will be for Indigenous Peoples. The total number of homes built with the support of RHI is expected to be over 15,500.
The RHI takes a human rights-based approach to housing, serving people experiencing or at risk of homelessness and other vulnerable people under the NHS, including women and children fleeing domestic violence, seniors, young adults, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, people experiencing mental health and addiction issues, 2SLGBTQI+ individuals, racialized groups, and recent immigrants or refugees.
Liard First Nation is the largest First Nation in the Yukon and one of four Kaska First Nations. Its people inhabit a broad area in southeastern Yukon and northern BC and live predominantly in and around the present-day towns of Watson Lake and Lower Post, BC.
Funding towards the purchase of Heartland Timber Homes was delivered through CanNor’s Northern Indigenous Economic Opportunities Program (Entrepreneurship Business Development).
CanNor supported the business construction, workforce training and the first phase of home construction through its Inclusive Diversification and Economic Advancement in the North (IDEANorth) program.

Additional Information:

Visit Canada.ca/housing for the most requested Government of Canada housing information.
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 everyone in Canada has a home they can afford and that meets their needs. For more information, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.
To find out more about the National Housing Strategy, please visit www.placetocallhome.ca.
To find out more about CanNor’s programs, please visit www.cannor.gc.ca.