July 23, 2010
$7.9 Million Affordable Housing Opens in Williams Lake

WILLIAMS LAKE - Low-income Aboriginal adults now have better access to affordable housing with the opening of Eagle's Nest, a new $7.9-million building providing 33 suites in Williams Lake, announced Donna Barnett, MLA for Cariboo-Chilcotin.

"We are committed to creating affordable housing solutions across B.C. to help communities like Williams Lake meet the needs of its citizens," said Barnett. "Eagle's Nest will be a place of comfort, safety and community for individuals who may have experienced housing challenges in the past. I would like to welcome residents to their new home and thank Cariboo Friendship Society for working with the Province to bring this much-needed housing to fruition."

The Province provided a capital grant of $7.2 million through the Aboriginal Housing Initiative (AHI), which was created to provide funding to develop new, affordable housing for Aboriginal people living off-reserve and to meet long-term Aboriginal housing needs.

In addition, the Province provided mortgage financing of $506,659. The City of Williams Lake provided development cost relief of $57,453 and Cariboo Friendship Society provided land equity estimated at $98,545.

"Eagle's Nest is a welcome addition to our community. I would like to acknowledge Cariboo Friendship Society for their ongoing commitment to improving the lives of those in need and for their hard work in bringing this building to completion," said Mayor Kerry Cook, City of Williams Lake.

Cariboo Friendship Society (CFS) was selected to manage and operate Eagle's Nest through a proposal call for AHI housing developments issued in 2007 in consultation with the Aboriginal Housing Management Association (AHMA). Formed in B.C. in the mid-1990s, AHMA is the only Aboriginal social housing management agency in Canada.

"We continue to explore new ways to provide supportive and affordable housing for Aboriginal people in British Columbia by working with off-reserve Aboriginal communities to holistically address their housing needs," said Andrew Leach, CEO of AHMA. "I am pleased to see this much needed building officially open today to house members from the Aboriginal community of Williams Lake."

"The opening of Eagle's Nest has brought us one step closer to our goal of providing safe affordable housing that meets the needs of our diverse community," said Rosanna McGregor, assistant director, Cariboo Friendship Society. "This building is also a model for energy and water conservation measures and has been awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design recognition. I would like to thank the Province for partnering with us on this important project."

The AHI has allocated 200 housing units in eight communities across the province. The units are being funded with $50.9 million in one-time funds through the Off-Reserve Aboriginal Housing Trust, which was transferred from the Government of Canada to the Province, and is designed to address the housing needs of clients, like those of the Cariboo Friendship Society. The Province is working in consultation with AHMA to administer the trust.

In 2010-11, the Province will invest over $562 million to provide affordable housing and fight homelessness - more than four times as much as in 2001. For a comprehensive and detailed look at provincial programs and services to address homelessness, visit the 'Breaking the Cycle of Homelessness' website www.bchousing.org/breakingthecycle for more information.

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