Seabird Island First Nation SustainableCommunity Development

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Seabird Island First Nation and World Class Housing . . .

"This project has provided us with a unique opportunity to incorporate our traditions but in a modern way to meet our housing needs."

News and Comment
by Tehaliwaskenhas
Bob Kennedy,Oneida

Copyright
Turtle Island Native Network
http://www.turtleisland.org

April 16, 2004

If you look in the dictionary for the definition of innovative housing, you should find Seabird Island. After all, the First Nation can be proud to boast about its cutting edge, sustainable community housing that uses renewable technologies, and includes first-in-the-world features.

This project provides residents with improved quality, energy efficient housing by integrating renewable energy sources, and . . . it is affordable. Plus, it has other remarkable features, such as reduced maintenance and lower heating and electricity cost, because of the advanced technology."

The Seabird Island First Nation celebrated the official opening of the Seabird Island First Nation Sustainable Community Development Project in Agassiz, British Columbia.

This unique development, is part of the Seabird Island First Nation's Sustainable Community Plan. The idea behind sustainable community planning, is to use land and design neighbourhoods, in a way that reduces costs and minimizes environmental impacts, while creating a liveable community - both now and well into the future.

( Photo of the project http://www.turtleisland.org/images/seabird.jpg )

The Seabird Island homes are designed to be affordable to build, operate and maintain (base unit cost of these homes is approximately $75.00/sq. foot). They use high quality materials with a long lifespan and construction techniques that will reduce future maintenance and repair problems. For example, the project uses mold resistant drywall, a special roofing membrane (used for the first time in North America) and other products for weather resistant buildings, a metal roof (also collects solar heat) and a rainscreen wall system to keep water out.

The homes are forecast to last 100 years.

Their design integrates renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and earth energy to save on heating and lighting costs. The high performance building envelope, combined with renewable energy systems, is expected to reduce energy usage by 75% from a typical home. The three wind generators (of which one is being used for the first time in the world) provide about 15% of the total energy required for the homes.

They use flexible floor plans and barrier-free designs to accommodate the changing needs of families, Elders and persons with disabilities. For example, if the need arises each unit in the triplex, and each single detached home, can be easily converted into two self-contained suites to create more housing as needed. The main floor of the demonstration unit has a large wheelchair-accessible shower, lower light switches and wider doorways for barrier-free access.

They use healthy building materials, have superior indoor air quality and are more comfortable to live in. For example, the project includes formaldehyde free insulation and kitchen cabinets and countertops, concrete and hardwood flooring and utra low VOC paints.

They conserve resources, use recycled materials and have a low environmental impact. For example, the project uses Synthetic Lumber (made from recycled plastic), recycled power poles from BC Hydro and Telus for use in the structural elements inside and outside the homes, compact florescents and low-e argon windows, water efficient plumbing, a rain water collection system and a high efficiency hot water heating system.

They reflect the preferences, culture and needs of the community. For example, the seven homes in the project were built in a semi-circular pattern surrounding a healing herb garden, which features locally carved totem poles and a wind turbine representing the colours of the medicine wheel and the Sto:lo Nation.

All seven units were also built by the Seabird Island Band's own construction crew.

"We have - like many other First Nation communities - experienced
numerous challenges to providing healthy, affordable and durable housing for our members. This project has provided us with a unique opportunity to incorporate our traditions but in a modern way to meet our housing needs," said Marcie Peters, Seabird Island First Nation Council, Housing Portfolio.

"For example, the flexibility of the design reflects the traditional way we
lived, it allows for our families to be unified within one structure yet
provides independence and private living space. The earth tubes and radiant floor heating and cooling system is far from new technology; in fact, our ancestors knew this and built their pit homes in-ground where it was cool in the summer and warm in the winter," she added.

Seabird Island First Nation, a member of the Sto:lo Nation, is one of the
largest First Nation in the Fraser Valley. Since 1975, the registered
membership of the band has more than doubled from 316 to 720 members. The band was selected for this project because of site accessibility to major transportation routes, their commitment to sustainable development and their in- house construction capabilities (all seven units were built by the band).

Read more about this exciting project . . .

http://www.sustainability.ca/index.cfm? ... cfm&ID=539

http://www.broadwayarchitects.com/Integ ... roject.pdf

( NOTE: The above is a link to a .pdf file )

BACKGROUND

http://www.turtleisland.org/discussion/ ... =2706#2706

The project was made possible because of a partnership between the Government of Canada, through Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) and the Seabird Island First Nation. The demonstration unit was also funded through the generous contribution of over 20 private sector companies and other government agencies who contributed over $170,000 by reducing the costs of products and services or donating them in full.

The Government of Canada, through CMHC and INAC, will be contributing
more than $1.1 million towards this sustainable development partnership. Of this amount, CMHC, through its On-Reserve Housing Program, will be
contributing $667,175 in lifetime subsidies over the project's 25-year
mortgage to keep the housing affordable.

This program, which helps First Nations construct, purchase, rehabilitate and administer affordable housing on reserve, has a portfolio of more than 23,000 homes on-reserve across Canada of which 5,200 are in BC. CMHC also provided a direct loan of $624, 097 to the Seabird Island First Nation as well as an additional $200,000 in funding for the demonstration component of the project.

In addition, INAC contributed $280,000 towards this project which
included $2,000 through the Aboriginal and Northern Climate Change Program, jointly administered by INAC and Natural Resources Canada.

There are 629 First Nation communities across Canada, with 198 located in
British Columbia. First Nations people are the fastest growing segment of
Canada's population and INAC forecasts First Nations community populations could grow three per cent annually to almost 509,000 by 2008, creating greater demands for new housing.

For further information

Seabird Island First Nation
www.seabirdisland.ca

Wendy Phair, Capital Housing Manager,
Seabird Island Band,
Tel: (604) 796-6818

Indian Affairs
www.inac.gc.ca

CMHC
www.cmhc.ca

[www.cmhc.ca]

Seabird Island First Nation
Speaking Notes For
The Honourable Stephen Owen, Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Member of Parliament for Vancouver Quadra

On behalf of

The Honourable Andy Scott, Minister of State (Infrastructure) and Minister responsible for CMHC

and

The Honourable Andrew Mitchell, Minister responsible for Indian Affairs and Northern Development

Grand Opening Event For the Seabird Island First Nation
Sustainable Community Demonstration Project
Agassiz, British Columbia
April 16, 2004

Good morning Chief Archie Charles, members of the Seabird Island Band Council, Elders, members of this community, sponsors and invited guests. It's a pleasure to join you here today. I am honoured to be invited to your community to participate in this celebration, and I am extremely happy to be with you here today on behalf of the Government of Canada.

I know my colleagues, Andy Scott, Minister of State (Infrastructure) and Minister responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, and Andrew Mitchell, Minister responsible for Indian Affairs and Northern Development, share my admiration for what has been accomplished here, and send their regards to the community and sponsors on today's event.

The Seabird Island First Nation project demonstrates that the Government of Canada is deeply committed to working in partnership with First Nation communities to enhance their capacity to build, maintain and repair their own housing, as well as help them to develop and implement successful ways of addressing the housing needs of families, Elders and individuals who are living on reserve.

The official opening of this Sustainable Community Demonstration Project represents both an important milestone for the Seabird Island First Nation, and an historic first for this country.

The project provides a sustainable, affordable place for seven families in this community to call home, and demonstrates a new way to build and design communities on reserve across Canada.

Although CMHC has built other demonstration homes, this is the first housing project in the world built on reserve, which combines the principles of sustainable community planning with Healthy HousingTM, FlexHousingTM and rainscreen technologies, while honouring Aboriginal culture, social values and design.

The Seabird Island Project demonstrates how sustainable community development — when done in partnership and tailored to the needs of each individual First Nation community — can provide quality, affordable housing for Canada's growing aboriginal population. At the same time, it serves as an important example for how to design communities in a way that minimizes their impact on the environment, while also creating livable communities, both now and well into the future.

By incorporating CMHC's extensive research into Healthy HousingTM and FlexHousingTM design concepts into the development, we are providing homes that are healthier for both the people living in them, as well as for the environment, and creating more flexible living spaces that meet the needs of growing families, Elders and those with disabilities. The homes are also designed to be more durable and last up to 100 years, much longer than a traditional home, while also reducing the need for future maintenance and repair.

Indeed, the products and suppliers chosen to participate in this demonstration project have been carefully selected to incorporate those features - products such as mold resistant drywall, new weatherization products for weather resistant buildings, synthetic lumber, wood from certified sustainable forests, a metal roof, wind generators, a rainscreen wall assembly, energy efficient appliances, a high efficiency hot water system, wheelchair accessible bathrooms and barrier free living spaces are just a few of the many innovative features built into the homes to make the homes healthier, more flexible and durable.

The development makes use of higher density development not commonly found on reserve which also allowed the Seabird Island First Nation to make more efficient use of their land, while also allowing it to create more affordable homes. The seven new homes built, which include two single family homes, one duplex and one triplex can be easily converted due to their flexible design to add an additional five more units of housing if needed.

The high performance building envelope, combined with the use of renewable energy sources, including solar, wind and geo-thermal, will also reduce the energy usage by up to 75% of a traditional home and is an excellent example of Canada's commitment to the Kyoto Accord. By incorporating these alternative energy sources, we are also providing solutions to issues that face many First Nation communities who live in rural or more remote areas and who lack access to traditional energy sources to heat and operate their homes.

It is our wish that Canada's other First Nation communities will learn from the project, and take home ideas that best address their housing needs. To meet this goal, one of the seven units in the project will remain open for two years and will serve as a demonstration unit for tours and public education to other First Nations, builders, architects and others with an interest in sustainable community development. I understand that interest in the project has even grown to aboriginal communities in the United States and to foreign housing delegations who all want to learn from this project and see first hand the excellent work you have done.

The Government of Canada, through its national housing agency — Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation — is proud to be a partner in this project, through funding provided under the On-Reserve Housing Program. This program helps First Nation communities build, purchase, rehabilitate and administer affordable housing. Over the 25-year mortgage of the project, CMHC will be contributing over $667,000 in lifetime subsidies to keep the cost of the housing affordable. CMHC also contributed an additional $200,000 in funding to support the demonstration component of the project and provided a direct loan of $624,000, which was guaranteed by the Minister of Indian Affairs.

Indian Affairs and Northern Development Canada was also proud to be a major partner in this project and contributed to more than $312,000 towards the development, which includes a contribution through their Aboriginal and Northern Climate Change Program, jointly administered by INAC and Natural Resources Canada.

INAC contributes annually a minimum of $24M directly towards new house construction, subdivisions and home renovations. INAC has also invested over $40M since 1996 to the New On-reserve Housing Approach initiative to promote holistic community planning in British Columbia. These funds have been used to leverage financing and have created revolving loan funds in communities.

Of course, this project wouldn't have been possible without a partnership with the entire Seabird Island First Nation, including Chief Archie Charles and Council, community members, and the contributions of many neighbouring communities as well. I would also like to acknowledge the Seabird Island construction crew who worked diligently over these past two years to build these new homes. The Government of Canada thanks you for joining with us to make this project a reality for others to learn and benefit from.

I'd also like to take advantage of this opportunity to acknowledge the contribution of the many other sponsors of this project which included over twenty companies from across Canada and North America. Some of our larger sponsors are here today, including BC Hydro, Canex Building Supplies Ltd., EMCO Corporation, Renewable Energy Systems and Omni Films. Our other three Platinum Sponsors — Dupont Canada, Starline Windows and VicWest Roofing — are unable to join us but do send their warmest regards. Your support of this project, and desire to help improve housing for Aboriginal people, is to be commended and I would like to thank you for your generous contributions.

To me, this project is a perfect example of how the Government of Canada is working in partnership with First Nation communities and others to improve the condition of on reserve housing while respecting Indigenous values. Each year, CMHC delivers a wide range of specialize housing programs to First Nation communities.

In addition to the more than $100 M spent annually through CMHC's On Reserve Housing Program, CMHC mortgage loan insurance encourages more homeownership on reserve, by making it easier to realize the dream of homeownership without the need to save for a huge down payment.

Through the Housing Internship Initiative, which is funded by Human Resources Development Canada and administered by CMHC, we are helping First Nation and Inuit youth to gain valuable on-the-job experience as part of the Youth Employment Strategy. Seabird Island is a perfect example of what can be achieved in a community since all seven units were built by community members. CMHC actively supports capacity building initiatives on reserve, such as this project, by providing Aboriginal communities with the tools and information they need to participate directly in the development and management of their own housing.

Ladies and gentlemen, as we gather today to mark this event, let us draw inspiration from what it represents. Seeing all of you here is proof that individuals, the private sector, youth, Elders, and communities and governments, can work together to meet the needs of others, and that together we truly can make a difference.

On behalf of the Government of Canada, I applaud your efforts, your commitment and your hard work, and most of all, I applaud your vision which has resulted in an approach to community housing that will inspire many others.

Thank you.