After a nerve-wracking few months, the Caribou Creek development is back on track. Development permits have been mailed by Parks Canada and Jasper’s largest affordable housing project is now able to apply for building permits for the first two phases.

“That’s what we’ve been waiting for,” said Suresh Singh, project manager for Caribou Creek. “For the next six weeks, we’ll be working fast and furiously.”

The project was delayed for two months after the Parks Canada employee in charge of the file was injured. Parks Canada requested Caribou Creek (formerly known as Sweetgrass) receive municipal approval for the project before development permits were granted. Municipal approval was given on January 29, and Caribou Creek filed its request with Parks Canada on February 1. However they didn’t receive a response until March 30.

“We lost two months right there,” Singh said. “It was frustrating for a lot of people,” noting many potential homeowners were upset the federal government let “one employee injury slow down an almost $20 million dollar development... but these are circumstances beyond our control.”

While frustrated with that delay, he says every layer of government he’s dealt with have been co-operative and is generally pleased with his dealings with Parks Canada and the municipality, Singh said.

While the layout of each unit has been approved, the development permit now allows the electrical, mechanical and structural plans to be finalized. It also allows potential homeowners to get final approval on their mortgages, and go through with the final agreement of sale, according to Singh.

During the delay, interest rates rose half a per cent – not good news for those seeking a mortgage for the homes, however Singh said construction costs have remained low.

“Construction costs are stable. We haven’t had to borrow money, and there are no projections that the construction costs will go up. Every time, we’ve beaten our budget.”

Caribou Creek hopes construction will begin on the site by October, with the first residents moving into the first two sites of the development by the first quarter of 2011, Singh said. 

There are still between 55 and 65 names on a waiting list for the units, which are three bedroom homes in the $250,000 to $300,000 range. The project hopes to a achieve a Build Green gold environmental rating. If the project achieves that rating, it will have its offsite levy fees waived by the town. If they achieve a silver rating, a lower portion of those fees will be waived.