OAHS is proud to be one of the first partners of the Suswin Village development with Kathy Fortin from the North Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre, which will help provide safe & affordable housing solutions for the North Bay Indigenous community. We saw the importance of this idea early in its creation to help stabilize housing and individualized wrap-around support systems for the Indigenous people of North Bay. Congratulations to Kathy on receiving additional support for this development!

Published on: January 21, 2020

A new initiative is helping to further Indigenous-led ideas to address Indigenous social and housing needs.

Under the Indigenous Homes Innovation Initiative, 24 proponents have been selected (from 342 submissions) to participate in an Accelerator period, which will provide innovators with mentoring support from Indigenous architects and other professionals to refine their ideas into projects that can be implemented.

The program was open to First Nation, Inuit and Métis Nation innovators who have housing ideas for rural, urban or remote Indigenous communities.

Kathy Fortin from the North Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre (North Bay, Ontario) will receive support to develop their ‘Suswin Village’ idea. Suswin, which means ‘nest’ in Ojibway, will provide a safe, accessible and dignified housing solution for Indigenous community members who are ready to leave the emergency shelter system. Suswin Village will provide them with stable housing and individualized wrap-around support services necessary to find permanent housing, employment and overall long-term success and stability in the community. Focus area: Support for vulnerable populations

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