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The Hearth housing project in Whitehorse secures federal funding for energy efficiency upgrades
August 22, 2024 By Anthony Capkun
(Larger photo below) August 22, 2024 – The federal government is providing funding to improve the energy efficiency of The Hearth, located at 4051 4th Avenue in Whitehorse.
The Hearth is a new permanent supportive housing project operated by the Safe at Home Society for individuals who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness. The project involves transforming the former Coast High Country Inn into 67 self-contained suites to provide “affordable, secure, and supportive housing for a mixed demographic of individuals in downtown Whitehorse”.
$16.4 million is coming from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC); this includes about $11.4 million through the Canada Greener Affordable Housing (CGHA) program, and $5 million through the Affordable Housing Innovation Fund (AHIF).
$3.3 million is coming from Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC), which includes $1.6 million through the Northern Responsible Energy Approach to Community Heat and Electricity (REACHE) program, and $1.7 million through the Climate Change Preparedness in the North (CCPN) program.
The CGAH funding will provide for upgrades to the building envelope, windows and doors; the installation of a propane boiler; and upgrades to the plumbing and fixtures.
The Northern REACHE program will support the installation of heat recovery ventilators and solar PV panels in the building. The CCPN program will support the design phase and administrative capacity of the project.
The project will also see $140,000 in contributions from the City of Whitehorse through the Rental and Supportive Housing Development Incentive and the Non-Profit or Non-Governmental Organization Incentive.
Kobayashi & Zedda Architects Ltd. is the project’s designer; construction is being carried out by Wildstone Construction Group.
The Hearth will be owned and operated by Safe at Home Society. The conversion is expected to be complete by 2026, and will be eligible for future municipal tax grants upon completion.
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