Officials from Housing NWT, the City of Yellowknife, and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) gathered Tuesday for a groundbreaking ceremony for a new 50-unit public housing complex in downtown Yellowknife.
The units will be built on 50 Street, across from the Yellowknife Visitor Centre, between the Gold Range Bistro and the Raven Pub. The site is adjacent to a new day shelter that is also under construction.
While the project isn’t expected to be completed until fall 2026, NWT Housing Minister Lucy Kuptana said demand is already high, with more than 300 families on the waitlist.
“This 50-unit building will offer a mix of bachelor and two-bedroom units designed to meet the needs of seniors, singles and small families,” said Kuptana.
As an affordable public housing project, rents will be set between four and 19 per cent of a tenant’s gross household income, following CMHC guidelines.
Daniel Korver, director of infrastructure services with Housing NWT, said feedback from local businesses has been “largely in support of the project.”
“We are aware of the presence of other businesses and residents in the area, and we’ll make sure that anything is mitigated,” he said.
According to a news release, the ground floor will include commercial space reserved for Housing NWT’s North Slave District office and the Yellowknife Housing Authority.
The project is partially funded through $20.8 million from CMHC’s Rapid Housing Initiative.
