Ottawa is providing a million dollars to the Native People of Nipissing Housing Non-Profit Residential Development Corporation.
The money will be used to create transitional housing for the Indigenous community in North Bay.
Aaron St Pierre, Executive Director, says announcements like this help to alleviate the worst effects of the ‘COVID-19 crisis’ and will provide immediate support.
“This will be for an entirely new project. We are in early discussions right now to partner with the Indigenous Hub to provide a new twelve-unit transitional shelter,” he says.
St Pierre says people are allowed to stay in transitional housing for anywhere from six months to two years.
“The goal is to provide housing for under-housed people to get the supports that they need and to have a semi-permanent place where staff can help them get on their feet, find more permanent housing, help them get mental health supports and other health supports,” he says.
Pam Damoff, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services, says they’re working to combat COVID-19 by supporting Indigenous-led solutions that meet the unique needs of each community.
“This funding supports the goals of the organization to provide safe and affordable housing to Indigenous families and individuals in North Bay. Building culturally safe and comfortable shelter for families in the community, who need it the most, is crucial,” she says.
“The COVID-19 pandemic showed how vulnerable and at-risk some of our Indigenous populations are when it comes to homelessness. This funding will provide the Nipissing Non-Profit Residential Development Corporation the money they need to make sure they can support their people,” says Anthony Rota, Member of Parliament for Nipissing-Timiskaming.
