Memorandum of Understanding Created to Improve Affordable Housing in Fort Chipewyan
This week Wood Buffalo Housing and Metis Nation of Alberta Local 125 Fort Chipewyan met to create a Memorandum of Understanding to address affordable housing in Fort Chipewyan. “We are excited to be working with Métis Local 125 to address housing issues in Fort Chipewyan,” said Henry Hunter, President and CEO of Wood Buffalo Housing. “Affordable housing in particular is a major concern for both of our organizations. We are looking forward to collaborating to find long-term sustainable solutions that will benefit the community.”
This MOU has been created to address common issues in housing in the region and to create a framework to focus on them. These issues include:
- Ensuring Fort Chipewyan residents have access to safe and quality affordable housing by addressing existing and projected future unmet needs;
- Maximizing the effectiveness of affordable housing investment in Fort Chipewyan, including an analysis of program and service gaps between the hamlet, the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, and the Province of Alberta;
- Conducting a review of best practices for affordable housing as they apply to Fort Chipewyan;
- Working together on ongoing issues related to affordable housing, including prioritizing the development of new affordable housing opportunities in Fort Chipewyan.
The primary next step for Wood Buffalo Housing and Metis Nation of Alberta Local 125 is to create an Affordable Housing Action Plan to create solutions that will address the issues of housing in Fort Chipewyan. “Signing this MOU makes it possible to help our members with the issue of housing, as there is a shortage of housing in the community,” said Cameron MacDonald, President of Métis Nation of Alberta Local 125 Fort Chipewyan. “Formalizing our relationship with Wood Buffalo Housing is the first step in working together to address gaps in program and service delivery. We look forward to working together to bring these issues forward to the municipality, the province, and other groups associated with safe and affordable housing.”
