The housing units in La Loche are either already completed or near completion. (submitted photo/Floyd Seright - La Loche Air Hitchhikers)

By Derek Cornet

Infrastructure Development

Governments pledge $1.5 million for 18 housing units in La Loche

Sep 24, 2020 | 12:17 PM

The provincial and federal governments are injecting more than $1.5 million in La Loche for the creation of 18 housing units.

The funds were announced earlier this week and are split into two separate projects. The first project is worth $875,000 to construct 12 units for professionals working in health care and education, while an additional $645,000 is earmarked for Methy Single Parent Housing Phase 5 which will create six affordable units.

“It was a lot of work and commitment from the different sources to pull this together,” La Loche Robert St. Pierre said. “We really needed the province to pull through with 30 per cent of 800,000-some dollars to make the project viable. When the province committed to it, it just shows La Loche is a priority and the services we require to improve our community.”

St. Pierre explained in the past the community had difficulty recruiting and retaining health and education professionals because of the weak housing market. He said a longstanding argument was agencies couldn’t bring professionals into La Loche because they simply had no place to live.

The 12 units consist of one and two-bedroom suites and are already ready to move in.

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“A lot of our educational [staff] were working out of old housing and, when you come into a community that already has issues, when they come in we want them to have a nice place to stay so they can be comfortable and productive teachers,” St. Pierre said.

In regards to the affordable housing for single parents, St. Pierre noted construction crews are on the final stage and units should be ready for tenants in the coming weeks.

The Government of Canada is currently rolling out its National Housing Strategy, a 10-year, $55 billion plan that will create 125,000 new housing units and assist 530,000 families needing housing. An addition 300,000 housing units will also be repaired.

Île-à-la-Crosse was also the recipient of $225,000 to construct a home by engaging high school students in the entire process and encourage them to join a trade.

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno