PRRD pens letter of support for Waskaygan Housing Management Association

DAWSON CREEK, B.C. — The Peace River Regional District (PRRD) has agreed to write a letter of support for the Waskaygan Housing Management Association to support its application to the BC Housing Project Development Fund for $250,000.

The association was incorporated as a non-profit housing society in 2014 to provide community-owned housing and assume ownership and management of eight social housing units in the community of Kelly Lake.

The units were built in the 1980s and 1990s through government housing initiatives.

The WHMA is currently working with BC Housing, Relativity Projects Inc., and IDL Projects Inc. to construct two eight-plexes at Kelly Lake.

Melissa Ligertwood, the funding coordinator for the association, first asked for the board’s support in a letter sent on February 5th, 2023. 

“In 2022, we completed building condition assessments and a quantity surveyor report which revealed the homes to be end-of-life and, as such, poor candidates for renovation in the eyes of funders,” said Ligertwood. 

The funding would help the Wassociation’s project to double the availability of low-cost housing, densify the existing lots, and significantly improve the quality of life for tenants, according to  Ligertwood’s letter. 

Ligertwood said the WHMA had hoped to receive financial support for needed upgrades to bring the homes to an exceptional standard of living, but many funding requests have been unsuccessful. 

The request was previously brought up at the February 22nd, 2024, board meeting with directors discussing the need for capacity housing in the Kelly Lake area. The board deferred the request at the time, believing that issuing the letter was premature due to the application not complying with the area’s zoning. 

The directors told staff in February to meet with WHMA staff to discuss their funding application. 

Ashley Murphey, general manager of development services for the PRRD, provided the WHMA with preliminary planning information and scheduled a meeting to discuss planning requirements.

The PRRD board agreed to write up the letter of support at their March 7th meeting.

The full report can be viewed below: