Witset is getting 26 new homes as part of the Building BC: Indigenous Housing Fund announced Saturday.
The units will be in a $5.2-million, three-storey apartment building to be built in Witset’s newer subdivision, according to staff at the Band office.
The housing is meant to be dedicated to low-income single people and elders.
Staff at the Band office said this building will take up one of the two lots set aside for apartments. The next project planned would be for family housing units.
This apartment will be made up of five one-bedroom, 16 studio, and five two-bedroom apartments.
Layout of the building was to be available at the Witset Band office.
The Province said it will provide approximately $231 million to deliver these new homes for Indigenous peoples. This includes $76 million for 367 units of on-reserve housing and $155 million for 776 units of off-reserve housing.
Projects were selected through a request for proposals, which was issued on June 18 and closed on Oct. 5.
The Building BC: Indigenous Housing Fund is meant to provide $550 million over the next 10 years to build 1,750 units of social housing for Indigenous peoples, on- and off-reserve, in British Columbia. It was launched in Budget 2018 as part of the Province’s 30-point, $7-billion housing plan.
Other housing plans include the 2,500-unit Supportive Housing Fund of $1.2 billion over 10 years for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, of which Smithers was in the first round of recipients for the Smithers Community Services Association-run building at Railway Avenue and Queen Street.