Mike Holmes partners with AFN on housing project

The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) has partnered up with Canada’s most trusted contractor Mike Holmes of Holmes on Homes and the Holmes Foundation to improve housing conditions within First Nations’ communities.
The parties signed a statement of partnership July 21 during the AFN 31st annual general assembly in Winnipeg.
“We are very excited to partner with Mike Holmes and the Holmes Group on this new initiative that will help to build homes, develop new skills and capacity, protect the environment and engineer better communities for First Nations people,” AFN National Chief Shawn Atleo said. “Too many of our communities are struggling with rundown and substandard housing and community infrastructure.”
Under the new pilot project, one Ontario First Nation community will be chosen to build and retrofit existing homes using green technology and clean energy sources.
Additionally, a First Nation Centre of Excellence on green and sustainable community design will also be established under the direction of the AFN.
The centre will provide guides to planning tools, models, best practices and design practices to any interested First Nation community.
“The neglect and poor conditions for housing found in many First Nations communities must be addressed immediately,” Holmes said. “We need to build real communities that not only serve the residents but also give back what they take from the land. Our development must take the example from the original stewards of this land whose culture is intimately connected to our natural environment and resources.”
The First Nation to be selected for the pilot project will be announced next month.