Thunder Bay, ON, May 2, 2024 – In its continuous effort to provide affordable housing for working, lower-income families in the Thunder Bay area, Habitat for Humanity Thunder Bay hosted a dedication ceremony today for Tyrell, Krystale, and their children who are moving into their newly built Habitat home.
Habitat Thunder Bay is a committed non-profit housing organization dedicated to creating a world where everyone has a safe and decent place to live. “We mobilize communities to help families build strength, stability, and self-reliance through significant personal involvement,” said Lana Vukelic, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Thunder Bay. “This bi-level 3-bedroom house represents not just a physical structure but embodies these future Habitat homeowners’ hard work and dedication. Tyrell, Krystale, and their two children have dedicated 500 volunteer hours to Habitat, demonstrating remarkable commitment and resilience throughout the process.”
This new home will provide the family with hope, stability, and a lasting legacy, following their considerable struggles with housing before this initiative. “Becoming a homeowner through Habitat for Humanity was beyond our wildest dreams,” said Tyrell. “Every time we visited the lot and saw the progress—from a mere hole in the ground to a structure with a roof—it felt surreal. We could finally say, ‘We are home.’ The effort of shovelling rock and dirt in the rain and hoisting walls in the blistering heat was all worth it. My family and I have already created countless memories before moving in.” Continued Tyrell, “When we weren’t on the build site, my wife Krystale and I volunteered in the ReStore, drawing on our previous merchandising experience to quickly become part of the team. We felt welcomed into the Habitat family right away.
The success of Habitat for Humanity’s projects like this one relies heavily on support from funders like the Government of Canada. Through the National Housing Strategy, the Government of Canada has invested $50,000 into this home, furthering Habitat for Humanity’s goal to create 1,117 new affordable homes across Canada.
“We are committed to working with partners and the province to ensure that every Canadian has a safe place to call home.” said Marcus Powlowski, Member for Thunder Bay—Rainy River. “Today’s announcement is an example of what these partnerships can do to help build more affordable homes in Canada. I wish this family all the best as they start an exciting new chapter in their lives.”
In March 2023, the Government of Canada and Habitat for Humanity Canada announced an additional $25 million investment to build 500 new affordable homes across Canada over the next three years. This brings the total federal investment in Habitat for Humanity to $80.8 million through the Government of Canada’s Affordable Housing Fund.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Lana Vukelic
Chief Executive Officer
Habitat for Humanity Thunder Bay
Phone: (807) 345-5520
Email: ceo@habitattbay.com
Micaal, Ahmed
Office of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
micaal.ahmed@infc.gc.ca