See inside Yellowknife’s new transitional housing facility

“In my darker days, I would have felt pretty safe and supported here versus where I was.”

Arlene Hache, interim executive director of the Yellowknife Women’s Society, led a tour of a new transitional housing facility near the edge of the city on Thursday morning.

Hache said when she first moved to Yellowknife, decades ago, she was struggling and ended up living at a shelter. While she had plenty of jobs, she said she lacked the skills at the time to keep them.

“It took a long journey and fortunately I had people to help me through,” she said. “So this is why we’re here. And people living here, they are ready to move on – and we will support them 100 percent to make sure they’re moving along that path.”

The NWT government has contracted the Yellowknife Women’s Society to operate the new facility, which is intended to fill a gap between emergency shelters and permanent, independent housing.

“We’re committed to ensuring that anyone entering this facility has a clear, supported plan and pathway to long-term housing,” Hache said.

Located inside a series of Atco trailers outside the Folk on the Rocks festival site, the facility can house up to 24 people. Its amenities include private bedrooms, six bathrooms, a kitchen, dining room and gathering space, walk-in fridge and freezer, office space, a training room, and a laundry room.

Women’s society staff said the area behind the facility will serve as an outdoor gathering space with picnic tables.

NWT housing minister Lucy Kuptana said transitional housing is “a critical part of the housing continuum.”

“This is a good thing,” she said of the new facility.

“Transitional housing is more than just a set of units. It’s an opportunity for people to address challenges, build confidence and life skills, and access the supports they need in a stable and supportive environment.”

Through partnerships, Hache said residents of the facility will have access to programming related to digital and literacy skills, life skills and job readiness, among other supports such as case management.

She pointed to the facility’s kitchen as a potential training and capacity-building opportunity.

“We have the best cooks in Yellowknife, in my opinion,” she said of the women’s society.

“They just haven’t had an opportunity, in my view, to shine and to develop a business and to cater.”

Hache added that residents will have access to cultural supports and a wellness team at the women’s society’s Spruce Bough supportive housing complex.

She said regular transportation will be provided between the transitional housing site and other areas of the city.

While the transitional housing facility will be temporary, Kuptana said it addresses an urgent need.

Yellowknife has seen an increase in visible encampments in recent years and data suggests the number of unsheltered people living in the city has risen significantly since 2021.

The territorial government has attributed that increase to the Covid-19 pandemic, wildfire evacuations, substance use, and enforcement activities that both resulted in evictions and reduced access to informal housing arrangements, such as staying with friends.

Kuptana said the NWT government is looking at a longer-term approach to transitional and supportive housing in Yellowknife as well as other communities.

Yellowknife Mayor Ben Hendriksen said on Thursday that social investments like the new transitional housing facility “reflect the values we hold as a community: compassion, inclusion and the belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to feel safe and supported.”

“Ultimately, the strength of our city is measured by how we collectively support one another,” he said.

Councillor Rob Warburton stated on Facebook that he was “very excited” to see the transitional housing facility open.

“Learning, adapting and trying different approaches, like this modular housing project, is how we practically improve our city,” he wrote.

Hache said the intake process for the facility is still being finalized, but residents will be streamed through integrated case management, a program that aims to help people with complex needs navigate government services.

She said the women’s society is aiming for residents to move into the facility on December 15.

“It’s going to be fast and I’m excited about that,” she said, “because we want to move quickly.”