Federal and territorial housing agencies will hold a ceremony next week to mark work beginning on a new 50-unit public housing project in downtown Yellowknife.
Twenty-five barrier-free bachelor suites and 25 two-bedroom units will be built across 50 Street from Centre Square Mall on a vacant lot between The Gold Range and The Raven.
Housing NWT, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and the City of Yellowknife will hold a Tuesday ground-breaking ceremony at the site.
Those levels of government say the building will feature a sustainable design with “mass timber construction for rapid assembly” and biomass heating.
The units are expected to be available by the fall of 2026.
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“This project is a major step forward in addressing the housing shortage in the Northwest Territories,” the territorial government stated on Friday.
Then-prime minister Justin Trudeau announced a $20.8-million federal contribution toward the project during a visit to Yellowknife in October 2023.
Housing NWT began the process of taking over the vacant lots – which the city had been trying to fill for years – late in 2024. The city has donated the land, which it has equated to an $825,000 contribution.
“The project will provide sustainable, affordable housing for seniors, singles, and small families in a mixed-use building which co-locates housing service providers in an accessible downtown location,” the GNWT stated.
“The project reflects Housing NWT’s commitment to energy-efficient, climate-resilient housing solutions in the North.”
