Rot has set in on B.C. reserves

Litany of problems in design and construction has created a disaster for bands with growing populations
By Judith Lavoie and Lindsay Kines
Times Colonist
February 10, 2009

Poor designs, shoddy construction and lax oversight have helped fuel the housing crisis on First Nations reserves by saddling bands with a raft of rotting, mould-infested homes.

Builders, housing inspectors, consultants and First Nations leaders report a litany of problems from homes constructed without vapour barriers or proper drainage to cases where houses were never pinned to their foundations or shingles never nailed to the roof.

The problems crop up on reserves across the country, but are particularly acute on the B.C. coast where many of the houses were never designed to withstand heavy rainfall and quickly became breeding grounds for mould, housing experts say.

The result has been a disaster for bands with growing populations, a shortage of houses and no choice but to cram people in homes that pose a risk to their health.

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