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Dignitaries and staff line up for the ground breaking Wednesday. (Michael Joel-Hansen/paNOW Staff)
Affordable housing

Another housing project set for P.A.

Aug 21, 2019 | 5:20 PM

Prince Albert will soon have more affordable housing.

Wednesday afternoon representatives from the federal and provincial governments along with the City of Prince Albert gathered at a lot on the 800 block of River Street W for a groundbreaking.

Linda Boyer, general manager with P.A. Community Housing, which will be running and caring for the facility when it opens up, said the 14-unit building will aim to support people with specific challenges.

“We have done two successful projects for persons with an acquired brain injury, so we saw a need for more units. The first floor is dedicated to persons with an acquired brain injury, mental disability or physical disability,” she said.

Boyer said the new facility will also aim to provide housing and supports for woman who have just been released from the corrections system and are looking to get back on their feet.

“To get them settled into a home when they come out and have the support services in place for them and the end goal is to reconcile them with their families or their children and move them into affordable housing,” she said.

The housing and support services will be geared towards people of Indigenous ancestry, but anyone is eligible to apply for intake. Along with the housing, other supports will include family and mental health services. Currently there are plans to employ two housing support workers when the facility opens.

Dan Yungwirth, general manager of Miller Contracting which will construct the building, said they hope to be breaking ground in around three weeks.

“The building permit is ready to pick up, so actually I am going to be doing that today,” he said.

Yungwirth said a couple dozen people will be put to work on the project. He added a project of this size is a medium sized one for them and that other local companies will be seeing some economic spinoff.

“Almost all is local sub trade and suppliers,” he said.

When it comes to completion, Yungwirth said they expect to be on site from anywhere between 10 to 12 months.

MichaelJoel.Hansen@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @mjhskcdn

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