A one-bedroom tiny house constructed by Yukon University students was transported to its permanent location in the Takhini River subdivision on March 29.
The tiny home was produced by 12 participants in Yukon University’s Housing Maintainer program. It was built at the university’s Centre for Northern Innovation in Mining in collaboration with Champagne and Aishihik First Nations (CAFN).
According to a joint announcement from Yukon University and CAFN, the new home is energy efficient with a double two-by-four wall construction.
It is 13.5-feet wide and 40-feet long and boasts approximately 450 square feet of living space.
Students who participated in the construction project were first given a week of safety training.
They then built small structures, such as dog houses and sawhorses, before framing the tiny house.
“Carpentry was one thing I wanted to learn after high school. It has been so fun. It’s great to be hands on everything, it’s a great way for me to learn,” student Konrad Russ said, quoted in a press release from the university.
Students were paid for their efforts in constructing the tiny house.
“Students are paid a wage to build. Students who are interested in the apprentice program can earn 800-900 hours and get credit toward their first year of the program,” said program instructor Carson Baker in the release.
CAFN provided a wage top-up for the students involved in the project and covered the costs of materials — an estimated $112,000 — as well as lot preparation expenses and transport costs.
The Housing Maintainer program is funded by the Canadian government’s Youth Employment and Skills Strategy in partnership with CAFN.
Yukon University’s website notes that participants will “hone such skills as tool maintenance, roofing and siding repair/installation, door installation, framing, basic plumbing and electricity skills, and more.”
“Yukon University is really proud to be a part of this hands-on learning program. Skilled trades training is an integral part of our programming. We’re meeting the needs of Yukon’s labour force and we’re doing what we can to address the housing crisis,” Lesley Brown, Yukon University’s president, said in the release.
This year, students in the program will complete two houses for CAFN. Last year, students also built two houses, one each for CAFN and Kwanlin Dün First Nation, while in 2021, students renovated homes owned by Tr’ondëk Hwëchin.
Contact Matthew Bossons at matthew.bossons@yukon-news.com