Ontario helps create affordable housing in Barrie for Indigenous families

The Ontario government is investing more than $800,000 to help create two affordable housing units in Barrie for Indigenous families at risk of homelessness and those fleeing domestic violence.

With the funding, the Barrie Native Friendship Centre acquired a duplex, with both units receiving significant makeovers.

The main floor has three bedrooms, and the secondary basement unit has two. Rents are affordable and include utilities.

"When we work together, we can help those that are most vulnerable," said Justin Marchand, executive director of the Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services.

The friendship centre says it's the first step to obtaining more safe and secure housing for those in need.

"And it means that you know what, it's a new learning experience for the friendship centre and our community to be able to address it in this way," said Samantha Kinoshameg, executive director of the Barrie Native Friendship Centre.

Neither the friendship centre nor the province could give an exact number of units needed in the City of Barrie, but this does feed into Ontario's larger provincial target for this year.

"We're looking at, when it comes to community and supportive housing, more than 3,000 homes across the province this year through retrofits and new housing being added," said Michael Parsa, Associate Minister of Housing.

The Barrie duplex will be the start of culturally supportive housing, providing services culturally geared to its tenants.

"The people that are accessing the friendship centre programming have another opportunity for housing, or the people that are in the housing have an opportunity for the friendship centre," Kinoshameg noted.

"And when it comes to wraparound supports, that includes things like finding employment, so when it comes to supporting Indigenous communities, we will follow Indigenous-led recommendations," said Barrie-Innisfil MP Andrea Khanjin.

The units are ready for the first families to settle in. All that's left is for the application process to close, which could take roughly a month to complete.