The shortage of housing in Yellowknife is partly being addressed through a new 21-unit apartment building that the YWCA NWT officially opened Tuesday.
The $18.8-million building on 54 Street features six two-bedroom apartments, 12 one-bedrooms, and three studios. There are also be administrative offices and programming areas for families.
The project, constructed by Clark Builders, is called Gotili Ko, or SA国际影视传媒淥ur Path.SA国际影视传媒�
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) contributed $12.5 million. Another $5 million came from the City of Yellowknife.
YWCA NWT contributed the land, which they own, and received some help from the public and local businesses and organizations.
SA国际影视传媒淭he overall cost was just for the project itself to build, and it did not include any furnishing of the building so thatSA国际影视传媒檚 where we went out and did the fundraising campaign in February 2023,SA国际影视传媒� said Hawa Dumbuya-Sesay, executive director for the YWCA NWT.
Yellowknife businesses were receptive to the call for donations as was the Yellowknife Community Foundation, which bestowed $50,000 to the project.
The YWCA is still finalizing the rent structure for tenants and the timing of when the units will begin to be occupied.
The new apartment building was conceived after YWCA lost its previous family housing unit, Rockhill, in an October 2018 fire. Rockhill had been operating for over 20 years.
SA国际影视传媒淪ince we lost that building in 2018, weSA国际影视传媒檝e been working really hard to make sure that we can have something of a similar nature to be able to operate our programsSA国际影视传媒� because when you look at housing people, itSA国际影视传媒檚 not just providing housing and walking away, but itSA国际影视传媒檚 to make sure that youSA国际影视传媒檙e providing a wraparound support, especially for vulnerable clients,SA国际影视传媒� Dumbuya-Sesay said.
Gotili Ko also has a community space, a child-care area and program space, where YWCA NWT will offer gender-based family services and after-school programs. Dumbuya-Sesay said the initiative will target families that are experiencing homelessness as well as families that are fleeing domestic violence.
The apartment will be owned by YWCA NWT for the next 30 years. CMHC arranged a forgivable mortgage. As a result, the YWCA has to make the building affordable to clients for the next three decades and is obligated to offer services for vulnerable families.
SA国际影视传媒淭his is a dream come true for us. WeSA国际影视传媒檝e been waiting for this for a long time. WeSA国际影视传媒檙e happy that weSA国际影视传媒檙e able to provide this service to the community, because we know that there is a huge need for family housing in Yellowknife and in the territory as well,SA国际影视传媒� said Dumbuya-Sesay.
NWT MP Michael McLeod sent a statement for the occasion, which read, SA国际影视传媒淭oday we are celebrating the opening of Gotili Ko 台, a transitional home that will change the lives of people who are most at-risk, including women and families. I am proud to see our National Housing Strategy bringing together different levels of government and partners through projects like this, ensuring everyone in Canada has a safe place to call home.SA国际影视传媒�
