Ahousaht to build apartments in Alberni

Ahousaht has been approved to build a 35-unit apartment building on the site of the former Cedarwood School on the edge of the Fall Fair grounds.

Mid-Island / Pacific Rim MLA Josie Osborne says the Ahousaht First Nation joins Huu-ay-aht and Uchucklesaht in constructing housing for their many members living in the Alberni Valley.

“There’s a high number of Indigenous people living in the Alberni Valley – just less than 17% of the total population according to 2019 data,” she said. “People who are living away from home, just as if they were living at home, need safe, affordable, adequate housing. The creation of community is something that is felt acutely by Indigenous people and First Nations clearly recognize this and are coming forward to apply to BC Housing for funding to build the kind of housing that their members need.”

Osborne said this is a perfect example of modern intergovernmental relations as the project is a collaboration between the City of Port Alberni, Ahousaht, Canada Mortgage and Housing, and BC Housing, which has invested more than $25 million in six projects in Port Alberni since 2017.