Housing NWT plans to replace an ageing 28-unit social housing building in Hay River with a new building, the agency announced on Tuesday.
A request for proposals, or RFP, issued by Housing NWT for the project states the new building will be built at 46 Woodland Drive, on the same lot as the existing building.
“The site provides sufficient space to support phased construction allowing for continued occupancy of the existing building during construction and avoiding the need for immediate tenant relocation,” the RFP noted.
The new building will have two more units than its predecessor and will be made up of studio apartments and shared amenity spaces.
The building’s design will be informed by SafeGrowth and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design principles – approaches that integrate safety and crime prevention with community development and planning – to “enhance public and tenant safety,” the housing agency said.
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“By incorporating innovative design concepts, we are creating spaces that support wellbeing and promote more connected communities,” housing minister Lucy Kuptana was quoted as saying in a news release. “By investing in these innovative solutions, we’re ensuring that residents have housing that meets their needs today and for generations to come.”
Representatives of Housing NWT previously spoke about introducing SafeGrowth principles at a public meeting in Hay River dedicated to community health earlier this year.
Tarah Hodgkinson, a SafeGrowth specialist and assistant professor at Wilfrid Laurier University, told Cabin Radio SafeGrowth is “a methodology for how we do neighbourhoods differently.”
Housing NWT said the design of the new building in Hay River will include “clear sightlines to reduce hidden areas, good lighting in shared spaces and entryways, and design features that encourages neighbours to look out for one another.”
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The project is set to begin construction this summer and will be funded through the housing agency’s three-year, $150 million capital plan.
The request for proposals for the construction of the building will close on January 12.
Correction: December 9, 2025 – 4:18 MT. A previous version of this article said the new building would include one-bedroom apartments. It will actually be made up of studio apartments. The article has been updated to reflect this.
