Northern housing strategy: first Nation mentoring others in housing strategies.

• Author: Kelly, Lindsay
• Position: CONSTRUCTION

Response to Garden River First Nation's (GRFN) innovative housing plan has been so positive that the housing department has been scrambling just to keep up with demand.

"It's been almost too busy sometimes, just to get things out of the way," said Anne Headrick, housing supervisor for Garden River located just east of Sault Ste. Marie. "But we've been able to do it and so it's nice to see that we have a few things going up."

In April, the community was putting the finishing touches on a three-year, 10-unit housing project--a combination of duplexes and single-family dwellings--and on the cusp of launching its next build, a five-unit project.

The 10-unit project is being built in specific response to a lack of units for Elders and those with physical disabilities, and so the units will all be accessible so they can "live independently as long as they can," Headrick said.

The community has additionally secured capital, through a new funding arrangement under the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), for renovations to existing community housing that is in dire need of upgrades.

Also in progress is a 10-year strategic plan, which will be ready to go this spring. It will guide the community and its housing needs for the next decade, to 2027.

Headrick said her department is considering a number of ventures, such as establishing a construction firm or purchasing homes outside of the community. The plan will help first determine if they are viable.

"We have a lot of ideas out there from this strategic plan," she said. "We're hoping little business plans with come out of that."

To keep up with demand, the department is adding an administrative assistant, bringing her staff up to five.

With the hiring of a new employee and establishment of a strategic plan, Headrick said the department wants to be ready anto take advantage of new projects when funding and opportunities present themselves.

"We're really looking at our housing program as being a business and trying to be self-sustaining and looking at where we need to go, while also meeting the needs of our community," she said. "Our community is growing, just like every other First Nation community in Canada, so we're trying to meet those needs."

Community need is what prompted a revamp of the housing department when she took it over in 2011. At that time, the housing strategy was outdated and not meeting the needs of its membership.

The renewed strategy earned Garden River...