New, affordable homes will soon be built on Splatsin First Nation land as part of a bold new Indigenous-led initiative aimed at addressing the housing crisis locally to start, and eventually across the country.
Splatsin Homes, a new division of Splatsin Development Corporation, held a grand opening and ribbon cutting at its warehouse on 45th Avenue in Vernon Friday, Aug. 8.
Splatsin Homes' launch follows four years of research and development towards creating high-quality, pre-fabricated homes that are fast to build and easy to deliver even to remote communities. The homes are net-zero and solar-ready, designed to meet the needs of Indigenous communities with minimal maintenance and durability in mind.
Grahame Go, CEO of Splatsin Development Corporation, came up with the home designs after the idea to launch Splatsin Homes emerged in 2013, which was the same year another one of his projects, Splatsin's Canco gas station, was built. The gas station was constructed with expanded polystyrene foam, a lightweight and water resistant material which the pre-fabricated homes also utilize.
Splatsin Homes isn't just in the home-building business; it's a training initiative, too. People with a red seal can bring their apprentices to the warehouse where training will be provided and they'll be certified to build their own home, allowing for more homes to be built faster than if Splatsin Homes was doing all of the construction itself.
"What you see around us is not just a warehouse, it's not just panels, it's not a CNC machine or a forklift ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½” it's a promise," Go said at the grand opening. "A promise that Indigenous communities can lead the way and solve one of the urgent challenges of our time. A promise that every community deserves access to safe, efficient, and affordable housing, and the ability to build it themselves."
Produced in Vernon, the homes are designed to be transportable, fire and pest resistant and suitable for all climates. The goal is to have the homes meet BC Energy Guide Step 5, making for lower utility costs, less maintenance and "more peace of mind for families who need it most," Go said.
There are currently seven different house plans, including one to four-bedroom units, and the goal is to eventually have 10 stock plans.
The short-term goal is to build six homes on the Splatsin reserve over the next year or so.
Addressing the local housing crisis is the first step, but Go envisions that within 10 years, these homes will be popping up across the country. Splatsin Homes' five-year plan is to deliver sustainable homes throughout Western Canada. What enables this vision, said Go, is the ease with which the homes can be built and the training that will allow them to be built at scale. Already, Splatsin Homes is in conversations with other First Nations across B.C. and beyond with an eye towards expanding the program.
"This is not all about Splatsin or the Splatsin Development Corporation, it's about all of us, all of us Indigenous people that are struggling with housing, not only through the province but through the whole country," said Kukpi7 (chief) Michael Christian.
"We begin with a mandatory training at the facility here in Vernon...And then we're going to have a lot of fun," Christian continued. "And as we show up on site, we bring the tools and the knowledge and the support, so we don't leave behind just the structure, we leave behind skills, confidence, and the capacity for communities to keep going long after we're gone."
Vernon-Lumby MLA Harwinder Sandhu called the initiative "inspiring."
"This is one significant step and shining example for the rest of the province," she said of the project's potential to alleviate the housing crisis.
Many people in remote communities use wood heat, and Go said these homes can accommodate that type of heating, though they'll generally be using heat pumps.
Designed to be affordable, the homes will cost about $320 per square foot, putting a two-bedroom and two-bath unit of about 1,340 square feet at a cost of $430,000.
The project was done with no grant funding and promises to provide economic benefit to Splatsin soon. Go said they expect to turn a profit in year two. More than 30 long-term jobs will also be created.
Tariffs won't be a factor as none of the materials come from the U.S.
The homes can be built in a matter of weeks or even days and can last up to 100 years, according to Go.
The units represent the latest in what technology can accomplish in addressing housing shortages by speeding up the construction process.
"Basically we're not reinventing the wheel, but we're making a high performance tire," Go said. "To a normal person, they'll see this as a house. They have no idea of the technology in this house to get it built."
