The Cochrane District Services Board says a new housing project will help address the need for supportive housing in the community. The $1.4 million project is fully funded through the Canada-Ontario Community Housing Initiative. The Town of Hearst donated the land for the development, a move that the board’s chief administrative officer, Brian Marks, said will help keep the project affordable. “As with all affordable models, the DSB method is to not have projects hit the property tax base,” Marks said. “By not having to cover the land, there’s no additional cost and the rents can be low -- and those will cover the operating costs of the facility.” Six units, one person each The six units will house one person each, with the length of stay and specific supports based on the needs of each resident. The project will focus on mental health and substance-use supports. Hearst Mayor Roger Sigouin said the community has its own need for those services. “Not as much as other places because we’re smaller, but we do have to take care of them, as well,” Sigouin said. “We’re not perfect, but we try to improve everything for all the citizens of the community.” The mayor said the project has been in the works for five or six years. Construction is expected to be complete by the end of this year, with tenants expected to move in by early 2027.
