Campaign to help fill housing gap on Oneida First Nation

There are more families in need of safe, accessible housing than there are safe homes for them to live in on the Oneida First Nation, south of London, Ont. — and it’s a crisis that doesn’t appear to be letting up any time soon, says Oneida Chief Todd Cornelius.

“Typical household, we have about two or three families per household, which is overcrowding, which is limited to what they can and can’t do in the household," he says. 

According to Cornelius, there are 47 families on a wait list for housing on the small first nation. With the federal government providing funding for just one home per year, it’s an endless game of catch up.

“We have a shortage of houses in our community,” says Cornelius. “We also do need renovations in our community.”

But, some help is on the way.

The Imagine Build, a campaign launched last fall to build accessible homes on the First Nation has so far raised nearly $750,000 toward its goal of $1 million.

Campaign Chair Mandi Fields of Bell Media says 99 per cent of all funds raised go directly to the build, saying, “The build, the builders, the lawyers’ fees, everything.”

She says it is part of a commitment to reconciliation.

“So nobody here with The Imagine Build team, nobody is making money. And that to us is what reconciliation is, is doing our part, moving over, making space, opening doors, sometimes shutting up, sometimes yelling, but doing our part,” she says.

Funding has come from various sources, including private donors like Lynne Davis, who came onboard early in the campaign with a donation of $100,000.

“Once it became evident exactly what the housing crisis was on Oneida it was impossible to just sit back and do nothing,” says Davis. “It was something that I was able to do, and so it was the right thing to do.”

Oneida has provided the land for the homes to be built on, and Doug Tarry homes has signed on as the builder. The company will also be providing training to local residents in skilled trades during the project.

Families have until Sept. 17 to apply for one of the homes through the Oneida Political Office.

The campaign expects to break ground early next year.