CONKLIN - On Nov. 15, residents of Conklin joined community leaders and elders, along with representatives from Cenovus for a ribbon-cutting event to celebrate the opening of a new housing development in the community that has been a long time coming.
Conklin, a hamlet at the southern edge of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo on Highway 881, is about 160 kilometres south of Fort McMurray and 150 north of Lac La Biche. A majority of the residents on Conklin are of Métis descent. Many of those residents have been living in sub-standard accommodations for years, some going back decades.
The new subdivision, located within the community of Conklin, is funded through grants provided by Cenovus and the Government of Alberta.
According to information provided in a statement from from the Conklin Resource Development Advisory Committee (CRDAC), the ribbon-cutting event was for 15 new houses that have been installed to date, with another eight to come in the next four to five weeks. Residents are already occupying the new homes.
Long concerns
In recent years, some residents have openly complained about living conditions and the lack of action being taken by the local development association, the municipality and other levels of government. The issue has played out over local, regional and provincial media outlets. Through those concerns, members of the advisory committee, made up of industrial and political members, have said there continue to be open channels of communication for the residents to use.
“After years of struggle and facing an urgent need for housing for vulnerable people, families and elders, the first (portion) of new housing is installed, open and occupied,” said a recent statement from the CRDAC. “Repeated studies, and the lived experience of community members demonstrated the urgency for housing, and the downstream problems caused by housing insecurity.”
Valerie Quintal, the president of Conklin Métis Local 193 and a CRDAC board member, helped with cutting to cut the ribbon.
“This has been a long time in coming, but that this day is here is a cause for real celebration, and we are celebrating,” Quintal is quoted in the statement, thanking Cenovus and the provincial government, as well as residents of Conklin. “Credit is also due to the members of our community and Board who advocated long and hard for our citizens.”
Alex Pourbaix, the executive chair of the Cenovus Board of Directors, also commented from the celebration.
“We’d like to thank the community of Conklin for allowing us to partner with them on this journey,” he said. “At Cenovus, we pride ourselves on being a good neighbour and strengthening the communities where we live and work.”
Jason Nixon, the Alberta minister for Seniors, Community and Social Services, who is also responsible for the province’s housing fund, said it is important to support projects like new housing development in remote communities such as Conklin.
“We will continue to pursue partnerships that support affordable housing options for Indigenous peoples in communities across the province,” Nixon stated. “This is an exciting day, and I want to thank all our partners for seeing this important project to completion.”
Information from the CRDAC did not provide details on how many residents are now utilizing the new homes or how residents were selected for the new accommodations.
According to the last federal census, the Conklin community has 154 residents.