Fort Nelson society’s housing project to receive redevelopment funding

FORT NELSON, B.C. — The development of a housing project in Fort Nelson is going forward, with the groundbreaking coming as soon as next spring.

According to a press release issued by the provincial government on Monday, November 17th, the Fort Nelson Aboriginal Friendship Society’s project was announced as one of five throughout the province to benefit from a $23 billion investment provided to the Aboriginal Housing Management Association (AHMA).

Its website says the AHMA is a non-profit providing funding and operation agreements with First Nations partners in B.C., with the organization assisting with providing housing for 10,000 Indigenous individuals and families living off-reserve in the province.

AHMA’s chief executive officer Margaret Pfoh said the announcement shows her organization delivers “results at the speed, scope and scale” of the current housing crisis. 

“AHMA members have put all of this capital funding to good work,” said Pfoh in a statement. “We support community needs across B.C. and we will continue this important work as dedicated provincial partners.”

The project in Fort Nelson is something that has been in the planning stages by the Aboriginal Friendship Society for about four years, said the organization’s president in a conversation with Energeticcity.ca.

Eric Ashdown added that the organization’s executive director, Linda Ashdown, has been “instrumental” in the project from its conception.

“There are a lot of seniors waiting in line at the other [apartment units] here,” said Eric. “I’m sure we’ll get a rush of seniors once we get it in place.”

The complex will be built on land in Fort Nelson bought by the Aboriginal Friendship Society.  Eric says it will be a 23-unit apartment building with mostly one-bedroom units.

“We are looking at mostly one-bedroom and a few two-bedrooms and possibly one or two three-bedroom [units],” said Eric. “Because we have a backlog of seniors in town, we will probably be catering to them and [those in] affordable housing.”

The new complex will be open for the general public to rent, according to Eric, who told Energeticcity.ca the groundbreaking will take place next spring, with the building potentially being opened as early as spring 2027.

More details can be found in the release here.