PROVINCE SUPPORTS WHITECAP DAKOTA FIRST NATION AFFORDABLE HOUSING INITIATIVE

First Nations and Métis Relations Minister Ken Cheveldayoff today announced that plans for a new $2.4 million, 12-unit affordable housing project serving Whitecap Dakota First Nation (Whitecap) members will move forward, thanks to an investment of $1.7 million from the province through Saskatchewan Housing Corporation and $744,000 from Whitecap.

This marks the first provincially supported on-reserve affordable housing project in Saskatchewan.

"As outlined in our October 27 Throne Speech, Saskatchewan is travelling down a new road," Cheveldayoff said. "We must make every effort to ensure we stand shoulder to shoulder with First Nations and Métis people. I am pleased that we have been able to work with Chief Darcy Bear to improve the housing conditions at Whitecap Dakota First Nations."

"The successes we have witnessed at Whitecap Dakota First Nation have translated into more employment opportunities than we have residents," Whitecap Chief Darcy Bear said. "That positive trend, combined with a growing number of Whitecap members who would like to move back to our First Nation, means we can now move on to our next priority. That means building up our inventory of residential housing. The announcement today is an important start to what will be an ongoing expansion of our housing stock at Whitecap. All of this is precisely what we envisioned several years ago when we set out a plan that had, as its goal, significant growth in economic and employment opportunities at Whitecap Dakota First Nation."

Whitecap's many development projects currently employ more than 600 people. This is expected to increase to more than 800 employment opportunities as Dakota Dunes Hotel and Convention Centre becomes a reality. As all existing on-reserve housing is designated for Whitecap members, there is not enough housing capacity for the many employees who have been commuting from Saskatoon to Whitecap. This project will therefore serve to improve not only the adequacy of available housing stock for Whitecap employees, but also the availability of housing for the Saskatoon region as well as the Whitecap Trail development corridor. The project is expected to be completed in fall 2011.

Whitecap Dakota First Nation is located 25 kilometres south of Saskatoon.

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For more information, contact:

Linda Saliken
Social Services
Regina
Phone: 306-787-0246