Nicole Wiercinski and her two children, 10-year-old Zander and seven-year-old Zoey, are getting ready to move into their new home on Alexandra Street in Thunder Bay, Ont., with support from the local Habitat for Humanity branch. (Sarah Law/CBC)
· CBC News ·
Nicole Wiercinski says being able to move into her own home in time for the holidays “feels like a dream come true.”
The mother of two in Thunder Bay, Ont., says her sister encouraged her to apply for Habitat for Humanity’s home ownership program, where low-income families are able to work toward a no-down-payment, interest-free mortgage.
Now, she’s getting ready to move out of a basement apartment and into a three-bedroom house on Alexandra Street with her 10-year-old son, Zander, and seven-year-old daughter, Zoey.
“It's just been an amazing opportunity and experience,” Wiercinski said. “I'm feeling overwhelmed and really happy and really excited and really thankful right now.”
Habitat for Humanity Thunder Bay has built more than 35 homes in the northwestern Ontario city since 1994. The home dedication for its latest build was held on Friday.
The Alexandra Street home faced some unique challenges, including tools being stolen from the build site earlier this year — a problem other charitable organizations have faced — and a lack of tradespeople.
The newest Habitat for Humanity Thunder Bay build, located on Alexandra Street, features three bedrooms. Construction was slowed down after tools were stolen from the site earlier this year. (Sarah Law/CBC)
“They're really busy with all the construction in town, and the trades are always short-handed workers,” said Habitat for Humanity Thunder Bay’s chief executive officer, Todd Davis.
“We were a little bit late this year getting [the home] finished up but we’re there, we crossed the finish line.”
Wiercinski put in 500 volunteer hours in order to qualify for the space, which included construction on the house itself.
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“They were basically teaching me a lot of things that I had never learned before, how to use different tools, and it was a very interesting learning experience for me,” Wiercinski said. “I think that I might like to continue to do more of that in the future.”
“It was really refreshing to be a part of that and I think it definitely made me appreciate the home more,” she added.
Zoey said she’s excited to decorate her room with LED lights — something she’s put on her Christmas wish list.
For affordability-wise, for stability, for building as a team with the community. For meeting all kinds of wonderful people, for safety, security.- Nicole Wiercinski, new homeowner
“I might get this thing where there's like moons and stars shining all over my room and stuff and I put it on in the nighttime and it's cool,” she said.
As for Zander, he said he’s looking forward to enjoying the neighbourhood’s amenities.
“It's gonna be really fun,” he said. “There's a park nearby and an ice skating rink and a pool, too.”
Next local build will be largest to date
The federal government has spent $168,000 on Habitat for Humanity projects in Thunder Bay over the last several years through its Affordable Housing Fund, including the Alexandra Street build.
“Our government is dedicated to partnering with organizations like Habitat for Humanity to build the sort of safe, suitable, affordable housing necessary for healthy communities,” said Gregor Robertson, minister of housing and infrastructure and minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada, in a news release issued Friday.
“Homes like these are where families grow, dreams come true, and futures begin.”
Todd Davis is chief executive officer of Habitat for Humanity Thunder Bay. (Sarah Law/CBC)
The organization has focused several of its recent builds on the city’s south side.
“It’s more about the land availability and the feasibility to be able to build in the local neighbourhood,” Davis explained. “We are looking to expand in the city of Thunder Bay, some properties in the north end. We like to be close to the bus lines and things like that.”
Habitat for Humanity Thunder Bay’s next build will be its largest to date: a $1.2 million-tri-plex on Simpson Street for three families.
“We got a good start on it. We definitely could use some help. We got funding [initiatives] like the 50/50 that we're selling now to raise money for that build,” Davis said.
The hope is to break ground at the site next spring and have it completed in either late 2026 or early 2027, “depending on how things go.”
In the meantime, as Wiercinski gets ready for the big move, she said it’s important for families to have opportunities like these that make home ownership more feasible.
“For affordability-wise, for stability, for building as a team with the community,” she said. “For meeting all kinds of wonderful people, for safety, security — just many wonderful things.”