MLA Rice relays news of new Housing for Gitxaala Nation members In Prince Rupert

The location for today's blessing ceremony in the Kootenay/McKay area
where a future housing development for the Gitxalla Nation was announced
(from MLA Rice's FB feed) 

North Coast MLA Jennifer, Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond and members of the Gitxaala First Nation and invited guests took part in a blessing ceremony today on property in the Kootenay/McKay Street area, the land now set to be developed towards more housing for the Prince Rupert area.

In a social media post, Ms. Rice outlined the timeline for the project which starts next week and will take eighteen months to complete. 

Once the work is finished, the Gitxalla First Nation will have twenty units of townhouse housing, the units ranging from two to four bedrooms and in place for the Nation's members in Prince Rupert.

The funding for the housing is by way of the province through B C Housing, which has invested 16 million dollars towards the project. 

The Housing is part of an initiative for Prince Rupert Indigenous Housing Society, as part of what will be called the Harbour View Townhouses.

No other details were released towards the work ahead or the exact location of the housing through the MLA's Social media post, or through the website or social media stream for the Gitxaala Nation.

The City has not as of yet, shared any details towards the project through their information channels either.

The announcement of new housing in the Prince Rupert area is a timely one for Ms. Rice. last week the topic of housing through the Makola  Housing. Society in the city was making for some vibrant conversation on Social media. 

With a number of concerns noted of the current state of housing in Prince Rupert and the need for more housing that is affordable for those in need.

And while 20 units is a small volume compared to that growing need for new housing stock, it will be viewed as a welcome bit of news for those of the Gitxaala Nation looking for housing in the community.

Some areas of McKay have been closed to tenants as plans for a larger
development continue but with no firm timeline yet revealed

The area of note is also slated for a wider development from BC Housing, something that would change the scope of housing in the McKay street area.

That project known as Harbour View Gardens and was proposed in the Summer of 2021,  if developed as originally planned it would see a mix of townhomes and two multi story apartment buildings constructed in the area currently fenced off on McKay Street.

The last update on that project came in January, though no firm timeline for development was released at that time. There was no further news to share on that larger project from todays announcement.

More notes on Housing in the region can be explored here.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review.