Indigenous Housing Solutions

Housing Built for Communities, Delivered Where It's Needed

Nelson Homes works with Indigenous leaders, housing departments and project teams across Western and Northern Canada to develop affordable housing solutions shaped around each community and site.

From ready-to-move homes and affordable, high-performance Nextmark homes to prefabricated packages and community buildings.

Talk to Our Housing Team Explore Housing Options

75+ Years: Building Experience in Canada
RTM & Prefab: Two proven approaches
Rural & Remote: Delivery experience

Housing Solutions

Affordable Options for Different Housing Needs

Most projects start with one question: should homes arrive substantially complete, or be built locally from a supplied package?

Ready to Move Homes

Ready-to-move homes are built and substantially finished at our facility before being delivered to the community as a substantially completed home.

Best suited for:

Less construction required on site
Consistent build oversight and schedule control
Single homes, multi-home programs and phased projects
Rural and remote delivery experience

Explore RTM Homes

Prefabricated Home Packages

Prefabricated packages include precision-built floor, wall and roof components assembled by local crews, contractors or community project teams.

Best suited for:

Supports local construction participation
Flexible for multi-unit and community buildings
Works beyond regular RTM delivery areas
Suits community-led and locally managed builds

Explore Prefab Solutions

Within our RTM offering

Nextmark Series: Affordable, High-Performance RTM Homes

The Nextmark Series pairs attainable pricing with enhanced building performance, so communities get lower operating costs and year-round comfort in the same home.

Added insulation, airtight construction, triple-pane windows and fresh-air ventilation support consistent comfort, reduced energy loss and durability.

Affordable: Priced for real community housing budgets
Efficient: Lower energy use and operating costs
Comfortable: Year-round comfort in every season

Explore the Nextmark Series

Finding the Right Fit

The Right Approach Depends on the Project

Every project comes with different priorities, including location, number of homes, site conditions, construction capacity, timelines and the level of work that can be completed locally.

For some communities, a substantially completed Ready-to-Move home may provide the most practical path. For others, a prefabricated package can provide greater flexibility for local construction participation.

Our team can help review these considerations and identify an approach that aligns with the needs of the project and community.

Location
Project Timeline
Site Conditions
Local Construction Capacity
Number of Homes
Housing Needs

Site Preparation

Preparing Your Site for an RTM Home

Each option changes what sits beneath the home — and how the site is prepared before delivery.

Full Basement

The home is set over a basement foundation built on site, adding living, storage or mechanical space below the main floor.

Crawl Space

A shallow enclosed area beneath the home provides access below the floor with less excavation than a full basement.

Pile Supported & Self-Contained

The home carries its main mechanical systems inside the structure and can sit on an engineered pile foundation.

Not sure which option fits your site?

Our team works with your community, contractor or project team to confirm the right home configuration based on site conditions, servicing, project goals and local construction requirements. Final foundation design, engineering and installation requirements are confirmed for every project.

Talk to a Housing Specialist

Funding & Project Support

Helping Communities Move Housing Plans Forward

Through our network of experienced partners, Nelson Homes helps connect Indigenous communities with funding resources, expertise and strategic support for housing and community projects.

Our role is to help communities define their housing needs, establish project scope and develop the project information required to move forward, while connecting them with experienced funding partners who support the funding process.

Talk to Our Housing Team

Depending on the project, potential pathways may include:

Government funding programs
Grant opportunities
Industry partnerships
Foundation contributions
Financing solutions

Nelson Homes does not provide grant writing, government grants or financing, and does not approve or secure funding. Funding eligibility and outcomes are determined by the applicable programs and providers.

Housing & Project Types

Built Around the Need

Communities bring different priorities. Our solutions span residential and community projects at a range of scales.

Discuss Your Project

Single-Family Housing

Compact through larger family layouts suited to community housing programs.

Elder & Accessible Housing

One-level layouts adapted for mobility and everyday comfort.

Community Buildings & Offices

Health centres, offices and other wood-frame community facilities.

Multi-Unit Housing

Duplexes through larger developments that add housing capacity quickly.

Workforce Housing

Housing for staff, crews and program needs.

Larger & Support Homes

Extended family and program-specific homes.

Phased Housing Programs

Multi-home programs delivered over several stages.

Featured Project

Enoch Cree Nation Collaborative Build

Housing, training and local participation brought together in one project.

Project Overview

Nelson Homes supplied the architectural design, floor and truss engineering and the material package for a modified Craik home. Torgunrud Construction managed the build alongside the Enoch Cree Nation Income Support Team.

Local workers gained hands-on experience across framing, roofing, mechanical and finishing work — building housing and local capacity at the same time.

8 Weeks

Construction from start to finish

5 Local Workers

Participated directly in the build

4 Job Offers

Extended during the project

First-Pass Inspections

Passed on the first attempt

Community Perspective

“Being able to use our own people to build something for our people was truly amazing. The project provided valuable hands-on training, experience and skills that can help support future employment opportunities.”

Jolene Alexander

Enoch Cree Nation Income Support Team

Project Partner Perspective

“Working collaboratively to overcome challenges helped keep the project on schedule and on budget, while building a strong relationship with the Enoch Cree Nation team that we look forward to continuing.”

Ryan Torgunrud, CD

President, Torgunrud Construction Ltd.

Discuss a Similar Project

Experience

A Long Record of Community Housing

Nelson Homes has supported Indigenous housing and community projects across Western and Northern Canada for decades.

Prefabricated Packages

For decades, our prefab projects have supported Indigenous communities and local project teams on everything from individual homes to larger multi-home developments, while creating flexibility for local construction participation and phased project delivery.

220+

Prefabricated Packages

25+

Indigenous Communities

Provinces & Territories

Aggregate totals across Indigenous communities, provinces and territories.