The 2018 Northern Housing Summit will seek to find solutions to housing needs, with the community of Sioux Lookout serving as a test case for other communities in Northern Ontario.
Taking place June 25-29 in Sioux Lookout, the summit brings together stakeholders and interest groups to discuss challenges and solutions around housing issues facing communities in Ontario’s North.
Sioux Lookout will be used as an example of a community whose population has outgrown its available housing and the barriers to economic development that creates.
“This year the summit seeks to lead Sioux Lookout and surrounding area through discussions that will provide solutions to housing needs that can be applied not just locally, but throughout the region,” notes a press release from the coordinating organization, Thunder Bay’s The Ad/venture Group.
“Summit participants will focus on Sioux Lookout as a sample Northern community to collectively discuss issues pertaining to housing in Ontario’s North.”
Sioux Lookout services more than 30 First Nations from the Far North, and despite growth across sectors, its lack of housing options creates a barrier to economic prosperity.
With major projects in development – such as the Wataynikaneyap Power project and chromite production in the Ring of Fire – demand will increase, as it’s expected more than 7,000 jobs will be created in the area.
“There are limited options in housing for those looking to work and live in the area,” said Barb Hancock, chair of the Sioux Lookout Economic Development Commission, in the release.
“We are hoping that the Northern Housing Summit will be able to help guide the examination of the shortage and pose solutions to government.”
Registration for the event is open now. Visit www.northernhousingsummit.ca for more information.
