SASKATOON – One Big River First Nation resident now has a safe, cosy and self-sustaining home in Saskatchewan thanks to the Idle No More movement’s “One House Many Nations” campaign. This is the first mini home of the campaign, aimed at bringing attention to the housing crisis in Canada.
“This home is taking one person out of terrible and inhumane conditions,” says Anita Munn, the co-owner of Mini Homes of Manitoba, who built the home.
READ MORE: Activists building tiny homes for Sask. First Nation family
“There are some pretty appalling housing conditions, and we’ve known this,” said Dr. Raven Sinclair, who’s a professor with the faculty of social work at the University of Regina.
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“But when you actually see it first-hand, it’s pretty significant,” she told Global News.
Idle No More was able to cover the costs of the tiny home thanks to donations through crowd-funding, raising over $26,000 to build the house, and an additional $6,000 to transport it from Manitoba.
The home is 140-square feet, one and a half stories high and completely sustainable and off the grid. It comes equipped with solar panels, a wood stove, a small box garden and a composting toilet.
WATCH: Meeting First Nation housing needs with mini homes
Munn, who owns the company that built the mini house, hopes this will be life changing not just for its new owner, but also all those who had a hand in the process. She stressed how much the campaign has impacted all those involved.
“It’s a beautiful thing to see people come together.”
With files from Doug Lett
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