The Evergreens Foundation does hope to bring low-cost affordable housing to the West Yellowhead region, and Jasper is one of the communities slated for development, according to the Foundation’s executive director.

“The board has asked me to investigate the costs associated with the construction of four low-cost housing units,” Denis Puchailo told the Fitzhugh. The tentative plans would see 30-unit apartment complexes built simultaneously in Hinton, Edson, Grande Cache and Jasper.

The Evergreens Foundation would manage and maintain the properties once built and there would be rent controls and income ceilings in place for prospective residents.

“Our target is low-to-moderate income households because that’s where our need is the greatest,” Puchailo said. 

The need for housing in the region is growing by the month, but Puchailo said that any low-cost units would not necessarily be intended for the burgeoning work camp population.

“There are potential camps popping up everywhere… but our focus is on people who aren’t in that income bracket.”

The Foundation estimates that each complex will cost approximately $3.7 million to build, but Puchailo feels that there are cost efficiencies to be taken advantage of if all four projects happen at once. 

“If we could use the same companies to work on all four complexes, there would be construction cost efficiencies,” he said.

Puchailo has been given the task of attempting to secure funding for the projects that will avoid the Evergreens Foundation having to requisition its constituent municipalities. He and other Foundation officials will be meeting with provincial civil servants this week to explore the possibilities that federal and provincial grant programs may offer.

Should the Foundation’s proposal qualify, up to 50 per cent of the overall project cost could be provided by the Canada-Alberta Affordable Housing Agreement grant program. This $63 million dollar fund has aided in the construction of thousands of units across the province in the recent past, including a large affordable housing development in Banff.

In order for proposed facilities to qualify for grant monies, the managing body must not charge rents higher than ten per cent below market value. This will help to ensure that the units are rented by people in the target income bracket, according to Puchailo.

 While the Foundation will be doing all it can to secure outside funding for any affordable housing, Puchailo said that some municipal support may be required.

“The board asked us to do this without requisitioning, but that doesn’t mean we won’t be coming back and saying that we do need to at some point,” he said.

Other possibilities for funding any portion of the project costs not covered by government support include the Foundation taking out a large loan and amortizing it over an extended period of time, or pursuing corporate and private donations from the region.

Pending the outcome of discussions with the ministries responsible for funding affordable housing projects, Puchailo believes that the affordable housing complexes could be built in 2006.

“It would be optimistic,” he said. “I think it’s do-able, but it’s a matter of getting on it right away.”

Should the projects proceed, Puchailo is quick to point out that there will be no impact on the timeline for construction and completion of the assisted living facility in Jasper. 

The Evergreens board meets on December 8 and will review Puchailo’s report before deciding on a course of action. The executive director feels chances are about even right now.

“I sure hope it does go forward,” he said. “I’m about 50 per cent sure and 50 per cent unsure right now.”

Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland said that while a low-cost housing complex in Jasper may address certain needs in the community, it would not solve the housing issue faced by young families and others in town.

Ireland also foresees a potential roadblock to any construction planning in Jasper, as the municipality would have to arrange to have land released by Parks Canada. 

There have been no specific discussions with Parks about any low-cost project, Puchailo said, although he expressed optimism about the prospect of a future arrangement.

“Both the municipality and Parks have been very supportive of the assisted living facility, so I hope that they would both be supportive of this as well.”