The Sands Inn & Suites is becoming “pimatsiwin”, a supportive living home!

Sands Inn & Suites has been selected to help mitigate a critical shortage of housing to meet the needs of Edmonton’s most vulnerable populations by providing an accessible and affordable housing option.

The property will be made up of 53 self-contained apartment units with a capacity to accommodate up to 90 residents. Renovation work is set to be completed in late 2023.

The project is receiving funding support from the City of Edmonton and the federal government in the total amount of $10.8 million. The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation announced as $14.8 million contribution to two Rapid Housing Initiatives in Edmonton, the Sands having been chosen as one of the recipients. The Sands conversion received $5.7 million of the the total contribution.

NiGiNan Housing Ventures is leading the conversion and operations of the building, and will provide 24-hour trained and equipped staff to respectfully support the new residents. The renovation is being completed floor by floor to allow residents to begin moving in as soon as possible. NiGiNan has successfully set up two supportive housing facilities in Edmonton; Ambrose Place and Omamoo Wango Gamik. NiGiNan Housing Ventures has created a Good Neighbour Plan (see plan here), a tool for developing and maintaining a positive relationship between supportive housing and the community. The plan outlines the shared commitments of the service provider and community, identifies who the community can contact with concerns, and includes an issue resolution process.

Pimatsiwin Supportive Living Home

Humane and low-barrier access to services for individuals with histories of trauma and difficulty accessing housing.

What is supportive housing?

Supportive housing provides a permanent home to people experiencing homelessness in Edmonton. It is not a shelter, drop-in, halfway house, or any other type of temporary accommodation but long-term housing where residents sign a lease and pay subsidized rent. By using a housing-first approach, Edmontonians who have experienced homelessness will find their basic needs met - safety, dignity and stability. This will allow them to reunite with their family and culture, and allow them to connect to critical resources and support. 

View the following slideshow to learn more about how NiGiNan does supportive housing differently and why our approach works.

photo Gallery

Resident Stories

Some things that may seem small to some people, mean the world to our residents. So far, our residents are finding friendships, achieving goals, feeling safe and reconnecting with family, among so many other successes. These four residents were gracious in sharing their stories from the first few months at The Sands:

A man wearing all black is smiling, standing beside a woman in a wheelchair. She is smiling and giving the "peace" sign.

Michael & Terra

Terra Uchytil and Michael Rogers wanted to have their photo taken together shortly after meeting their first day at the Sands. Michael and Terra became fast friends. They provide each other friendship and emotional support. It is their goal to become roommates and support each other when they are ready to live independently. 

Since moving in, Terra has found sobriety for four days in a row twice, a commitment she states she has not been able to achieve for years. Their bond truly shines a light on reciprocity.

Jack

Jack, last name to remain anonymous, came to us from the Bissell Centre in May 2021. He suffers from an almost chronic suicidal ideation, and often walks away from housing due to self-shame. One morning, Jack shared his feelings with a trusted staff member, discussing leaving the home and possibly this world forever. He said he would go for a walk and would not return. He was reminded that he always has a home with NiGiNan at the Sands.

The employee wrote a letter to Jack but he did not read it right away. Instead, he read the letter to himself, memorized it word for word and could repeat every word aloud without looking. It was a letter filled with affirmations and reminders of home. Jack continues to use this letter, to return home and to thank staff for creating this safe place for him to be himself.

Anonymous

A resident who chose to remain anonymous wanted to share her story. She spent her childhood in the foster system and never had a real home. She took care of her niece, who also spent time going through the foster care system, for much of their life. While they both use cannabis, thankfully neither of them struggle with addictions. They find themselves drinking as a way for others to allow them to stay on their couch for a night. Neither of them wants to consume alcohol but would partake to be sheltered.

They were able to be housed next door to each other and we are working on finding housing for the two of them to continue their journey and support each other moving forward. They have both since moved out to live independently, together and are seeking employment.

For More Information

We welcome your feedback

Let us know your thoughts and questions by sending us an email at info@niginan.ca.