Blood Tribe Housing Hosts Successful Moses Lake
Community Engagement Meeting
by Henry Heavyshield
Blood Tribe Housing hosted a well-attended community engagement meeting on November 18, 2025, at the Moses Lake Gymnasium. The session provided updates on housing projects currently underway across the reserve. They also shared seasonal home maintenance tips and emphasized the critical link between timely rent and mortgage payments and the department’s ability to deliver services.
Blood Tribe Chief Travis Plaited Hair, and Councillors Maria Russell and Elliot Fox, representing the Public Service and Economic Development Committees, were also in attendance to lend their support.
“Housing is working hard on moving forward and I’m excited about a lot of the topics that are on the way,” said Chief Plaited Hair.
This meeting is part of Blood Tribe Housing’s broader strategy of ongoing community engagement aimed at keeping Blood Tribe members better informed about the department’s programs and activities. Attendees were served a meal of soup and sandwiches and were also provided the opportunity to submit their feedback for the department.
The meeting opened with a presentation by Blood Tribe Housing Director, Cody Wells, outlining key projects funded through Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), and other federal and provincial programs.
“I’m proud to serve you, and I take tremendous pride in the Blood Tribe. I want to do the best I can for all of our communities,” said Wells.
“We have a lot of good things coming and we’re trying to move in a good direction. We’ve got a lot of promising stuff happening.”
CMHC Co-Investment & Renovation Projects
Blood Tribe Housing highlighted its ongoing co-investment renovations aimed at improving aging units and extending the lifespan of homes across multiple zones. These projects help modernize interiors and address structural concerns. Their goal is to provide safer, healthier living conditions for Blood Tribe members.
- Total renovations at 200 units
- 25 units currently ongoing
- 5 units unassigned
- 170 units completed renovations
- Deadline of March 2026
Rapid Housing Initiative
These units are designed to meet immediate needs by rapidly increasing available housing for community members. Under the National Housing Strategy, 20 new affordable units are being constructed across Standoff, Moses Lake, and Levern communities.
Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program (RRAP)
RRAP focuses on essential repairs for low-income households, Elders, and persons with disabilities. Four units on the Blood Reserve were approved for RRAP funding. Of these, three renovations are fully completed, and one renovation remains in-progress.
Section 95 – Phase 24
Section 95, formally the On-Reserve Non-Profit Housing Program, is a federal initiative delivered by CMHC to support First Nations in providing affordable rental units on reserve. Under Section 95, First Nations can receive low-cost, repayable loans and operational subsidies to construct, purchase, or rehabilitate housing, or convert existing buildings into rental housing units. Blood Tribe Housing has been allocated four new rental units, all of which will be built in the Moses Lake Community.
New House Construction: Multiple Phases Underway
ISC Phase 5 & 6
New units are being developed under ISC funding, including several projects specifically designed to support families and community safety.
Opioid Replacement Housing (State of Emergency Response)
Eight 2-bedroom units without basements are nearing completion in Standoff and Levern. As of November 18, 2025, progress includes:
- Unit 1 is 99% complete
- Unit 2 is 90% complete
- Unit 3 is 65% complete
- Unit 4 is 50% complete
- Unit 5 is 25% complete
- Unit 6 is 10% complete
House moves from the plant to designated communities are scheduled for January 26 – 30, 2026.
Phase 6 – Senior and Accessibility-Focused Housing
Seven new 3-bedroom units, designed with accessibility in mind and prioritizing Elders, will break ground in North Moses Lake beginning January 2026.
Children and Family Services Renovation Programs
Under programs aimed at keeping children safely housed in their communities, 10 homes were renovated in 2025 to prevent apprehension due to unsafe living conditions. Blood Tribe Housing remains committed to working with departments and entities on the reserve to keep children at-risk with their families and in the community. Wells also provided a brief overview of the construction of the new Women’s Shelter, a 10-to-15-bedroom units, although this project is still in the early stages of development.
First Nations Children Housing Fund
This newly established national fund supports major renovations that help keep families together and improve long-term housing stability. Under this program, Blood Tribe Housing will work in partnership with Kainaiwa Children’s Services towards developing facilities to provide wraparound services for the community. This project, however, currently remains in the conceptual stages.
RAMP – Residential Access Modification Program
Funded by the Government of Alberta, RAMP assists low-income individuals with mobility challenges by providing accessibility modifications such as ramps, wider doorways, walk-in showers, and grab bars.
At the end of his presentation, Wells took the opportunity to share a few testimonials submitted by community members expressing gratitude for renovations that made their homes safer and more livable.
One tenant’s testimonial: “[this was a] blessing for me because without it, I would not have had the ability to put any work into it. I am very grateful to have work done on my home. It is a benefit to our people.” These words go a long way towards supporting the good work being done by Blood Tribe Housing and other BTA departments.
House Maintenance
Blood Tribe Housing Project Manager, Bernis Wells, also shared a fall/winter home maintenance checklist to help tenants prevent costly winter damage and save money on heating and electricity costs. Seasonal tasks such as checking furnaces, replacing filters, sealing drafts, and performing basic exterior checks help protect homes and reduce strain on the department’s repair budget.
Rental and Mortgage Payments
Lucky Bruised Head, with Blood Tribe Housing finance department, provided an update on the status of rental and mortgage payments. He stressed that when more tenants pay on time the department has more revenue for repairs and maintenance. This also provides more predictable funding for new construction and offers greater capacity to support housing programs.
Late or missing payments reduce the department’s ability to respond quickly to work orders and complete construction phases on schedule.
While there was a slight increase in rent collected over the last 19 months, from 69 to 74 percent, Blood Tribe Housing would like to see this number increase even more. When more households pay their rent and mortgages on time, the department has more available funds for new builds, more renovations, and more services, including work orders and emergency repairs.
Wells expressed his thanks to all Housing employees, both in the department and at the construction plant, for their hard work at serving the Blood Tribe.
“We’re the only First Nation across Canada that does our own builds. We’re getting praise for that, and I want to give some recognition to our plant. They’re working diligently. I’m proud of the work that our people do,” said Wells.
As Blood Tribe Housing moves into 2026 with multiple construction phases and renovation programs underway, community involvement remains essential. The Moses Lake engagement meeting emphasized that housing progress is a shared effort. These efforts are only made stronger through proactive home maintenance and responsible repayment.
As Niitsitapi, housing has always been a collective responsibility. By working together and investing in our own housing system, the Blood Tribe continues to build towards greater self-sufficiency and opportunity for future generations.
Blood Tribe Housing would like to thank all community members, elders, and families that attended. Your feedback is important, and we want you to know your voice is heard. Blood Tribe Housing’s next community engagement events will be in Levern, AB. on December 2, 2025, and in Standoff, AB. on December 16, 2025. We hope to see you there.
