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PARTNERS BREAK GROUND FOR INNOVATIVE TINY HOUSE PROJECT

PARTNERS BREAK GROUND FOR INNOVATIVE TINY HOUSE PROJECT

FOR RELEASE:

October 12, 2018

 Joint news release with Yukon and Canada

 Dakwäkäda (Haines Junction, Yukon) – A community ground-breaking event in Dakwäkäda (Haines Junction) today kicked off an exciting tiny house project, a partnership between the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations (CAFN), the Government of Yukon and the Government of Canada.

The three partners are jointly investing in the construction of 10 affordable one-bedroom homes in the community and providing skill-building opportunities for 10 carpentry trainees.

Several of the houses will be built by participants in the Dän Ts’änānän (A Blessing for Certain Skills) program, which is funded by the Government of Canada’s Skills and Partnership Fund, and construction costs will be covered through contributions by Yukon Housing Corporation and CAFN.

“This is a project that meets three urgent needs in our community – affordable housing, employment and training.  Our government is pleased to work with Canada and Yukon to deliver on these important priorities while helping build healthier people and a stronger community.”
–  Dän Nätthe Ada Kaaxnox (Chief Steve Smith)

“I’m thrilled to see organizations, like CAFN, create more opportunities for First Nations people in the Yukon Territory and northwest British Columbia. Fostering partnerships to improve essential skills and job training for First Nations people is not just the right thing to do- it’s the smart thing to do for our economy.”
The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour

These tiny homes will fill a critical housing need for people in Haines Junction and support the vision of the Housing Action Plan for Yukon. We’re excited to partner with the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations and Service Canada to increase the diversity and abundance of housing options in Yukon.
– Minister responsible for the Yukon Housing Corporation Pauline Frost

Quick facts

  • Through the Government of Canada’s Skills and Partnership Fund, the Dän Tsʼänānän program is contributing $270,000 toward the cost of carpentry training by Yukon College over a 21-week course this winter.
  • Yukon Housing Corporation is contributing a grant of $50,000 per unit, for a total of $500,000, through the Housing Initiatives Fund.
  • The Champagne and Aishihik First Nations will cover the remaining $500,000 in costs for materials and construction of the homes, which are to be completed by February 2020.

Related information

For more information:

Amy McKinnon
Communications Manager
Champagne and Aishihik First Nations
(867) 332-1973
almckinnon@cafn.ca
CAFN.ca

Janine Workman
Cabinet Communications
867-393-7449
janine.workman@gov.yk.ca

Tim Sellars
Communications, Yukon Housing Corporation
867-456-6802
tim.sellars@gov.yk.ca

BACKGROUNDER:

Champagne and Aishihik First Nations Housing

CAFN is working hard to improve housing opportunities for its Citizens.  Over the past year, CAFN has constructed 10 new rental houses in subdivisions at Takhini and Haines Junction and also passed updated Rental Housing Program Policies and Procedures.

Dän Ts’änānän (A Blessing for Certain Skills)

The Dän Tsʼänānän program offers diverse wellness, training and work experiences to CAFN community members over 41 months through $7.5 Million in funding from the Government of Canada’s Skills and Partnership Fund.  Over the life of the program, Dän Tsʼänānän is mandated to positively influence the employability of 250 participants by March 31, 2021.

Yukon Housing Corporation’s Housing Initiatives Fund

The Housing Initiatives Fund provides funding to develop new affordable housing units in Yukon or provide rent supplements for new units to help Yukoners afford rental housing. First Nations, First Nations Development Corporations, developers, contractors and community organizations with projects that will increase housing options in their community are eligible for funding.

Skills Partnership Fund

  • The Skills and Partnership Fund receives $50 million in funding per year and to date has leveraged approximately $250 million (cash and in-kind) from partnerships since its inception.
  • From April 2010 to March 2018, the SPF has served more than 34,500 Indigenous clients, which included helping over 13,000 individuals get jobs in various sectors such as natural resources, trades,  health, retail and tourism, and assisting over 1,700 individuals to return to school.
  • The Government is working with Indigenous partners to co-develop and implement the new Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program (ISET) with the Budget 2018 investment of $2 billion over five years and over $400 million per year ongoing. The ISET Program includes increased funding, longer-term agreements, and enhanced performance measurement and takes a distinctions-based approach to better meet the needs of First Nations, Inuit, Métis and urban/non-affiliated Indigenous people.