Taza on Tsuut’ina Nation welcomes new residents

Tsuut’ina Nation is welcoming residents to new homes as one of the largest First Nation-led developments in North America starts handing over keys to homeowners.

One of the first homeowners in the community getting keys Wednesday to their brand-new home at Taza, a mixed-used development on Tsuu T’ina Nation.

Buyers will own their home, but not the land that it’s on given that it’s on a First Nation, instead, leasing it for a 99-year term.

“The lease is unbreakable, during the term, since there’s no payment to be made, so people do truly own their homes, they can will them, they can sell them, they can mortgage them,” explained James Robertson, president of Taza Development Corporation.

Minor Chief Zachary Manywounds says conversations with members of Tsuut’ina Nation are ongoing as more people who may not be Indigenous move in.

“I think just like anywhere in the planet — without fully understanding what it truly is, there’s always opposition, but that’s us as humans, that’s the human condition,” he said. “It’s our role as leadership today to show our people what this truly is.”

The first units that residents are moving into at Taza feature 46 townhomes.

Now some of these homes have the option of a secondary suite, where you can get amenities like a kitchen, bedrooms and washrooms.

Homes by Avi, the builder behind the townhomes, says while there were questions about leasehold agreements, demand was still high with prices for the homes starting from the low $500,000s.

“It’s been overwhelming. The overwhelming response to this project, to this community has been really exciting for us. It’s one of the communities that gets sold out within days,” said Vered Amir, vice-president of Brand Partnership and Community Engagement with Homes by Avi.

Officials say it’s expected to take beyond a decade to fully develop Taza, but when completed it will see over 6,500 homes along with retail, commercial, park, wetland and gathering spaces. 

“You’re looking at economic benefits with emotional equity, something that we don’t talk about often,” Manywounds said. “These residents coming here, they’re going to have emotionally equity as they grow with our people.”