NANAIMO – Snuneymuxw First Nation has received more than $700,000 from the federal government to help build eight new homes and repair eight existing affordable ones.
La’lum’utul (which means ‘care for one another’) is an eight-unit building comprised of two wood-frame four-plexes currently under construction on-reserve at Warpath Rd. Snuneymuxw First Nation will own and operate the units, which will be rented at below market rates to First Nation members. This project is expected to be completed in 2024.
Chief Mike Wyse
Funding will also go towards the renovation of eight existing homes on Snuneymuxw First Nation territory. The repairs are expected to be completed in May 2026.
Funding provided for these projects is as follows:
$567,970 from the federal government, through the Affordable Housing Fund, towards the La’lum’utul housing project and repairs of the existing homes;
$312,000 contribution of joint funding for the La’lum’utul housing project through the Canada Community Housing Initiative, which is part of the Canada – British Columbia Bilateral Agreement under the National Housing Strategy;
$900,408 Community Housing Fund grant and $543,931 Cost Pressures Grant from the province, through BC Housing for the La’lum’utul housing project as well as annual operating funding of $220,168;
Snuneymuxw First Nation provided the land for the La’lum’utul project, valued at $837,000, and a cash contribution of $131,955 cash contribution for the repairs of the existing homes.
“Our partnership with the National Housing Co-Investment Fund represents an important step in addressing the urgent need for housing in our community. We are dedicated to identifying housing solutions that meet the needs of our members and breathe life into our way of being,” said Chief Mike Wyse of Snuneymuxw First Nation.
Source: Canada.ca