Housing camp faces hurdles

Photo: Colton Davies

A plan in Osoyoos for employee rental housing is faced with a tight timeline, while seeking an endorsement from town staff and council.

The Osoyoos Employee Housing Society, comprised of several local businesses in the tourism industry, is hoping to have a 49-unit camp for employees fully set up by May 15.

Businesses involved have committed $125,000 to start up the camp, which is proposed to be sited on Osoyoos Indian Band land on Highway 3 and 45th Street. The non-profit society said its budget for capital costs is about $150,000.

The society has asked the town to cover water and sewer fees for the site, which is estimated to cost an additional $80,000. 

More urgently, the society is hoping to receive an expression of support from the town so it can move forward with securing the 49 housing units.

Watermark Resorts development manager Glen Harris said the society has put a deposit on a camp, which would be transported from northern Alberta to Osoyoos. He said the camp is in high demand, and if they don't commit to it by the end of this week they would likely lose out on it. 

"We have already lost one camp... because we weren't able to get everything to the finish line in time, that one was sold out from under us. And then we found this one and it turns out this one is better than the first one we earmarked," Ingrid Jarrett said, Watermark Resorts general manager.

One other speed bump the society faces is a "no build" agreement on the camp's proposed site that would need to be revised, signed in 2010 by the OIB and the town. A three-to-five year lease for the society to operate the camp has already been granted by the OIB.

Council members voted unanimously to ask staff if it can legally supply utilities, which would be a subsidy for "a non-profit society whose benefactors are businesses." Staff was also requested to ask the OIB to allow water and sewer service on the site. 

While council doesn't meet again until May 8, town manager Barry Romanko said a special council meeting could be held before then to help the society's timeline of May 15.

Jarrett, who was one of three delegates from the society at Monday's council meeting, said she felt the town's response was favourable.

She said some things still need to be sorted out, but there's a possibility the society can secure the camp by Friday's deadline.

"They have a lineup of people waiting to purchase this camp, and they have kindly agreed to wait until the end of the week... By then we should know."