Nicola Valley Institute of Technology campus/via Government of Canada

The only Indigenous public post-secondary institution in BC — located in Merritt — is getting some new housing from the provincial government.

The Nicola Valley Institute of Technology is being given $19.6 million to build two, six-unit town homes at the Merritt campus.

It’s expected this project should be able to house around 30 NVIT students and their families, adding to the 80 single spaces already available for students.

“We get a lot of students that come to NVIT that have kids.  Single moms, single dads. Sometimes a couple with kids,” said Institute President Ken Tourand.  “We get about 75 to 80 percent of our students come out from outside of the Nicola Valley. Lots from northern British Columbia. Of course, we are BC’s Indigenous public post-secondary institution.”

The money also includes an expansion of the existing daycare program at NVIT to allow for 36 more child care spaces.

“We have an existing daycare at our campus in Merritt. But it’s right in the middle of our academic spaces,” noted Tourand.  “We’re quite excited to be able to build a new daycare and then basically recommission our current daycare into a health space.”

The child care facility will be operated by the Conayt Friendship Centre.

Tourand says they expect the ground-breaking for the projects to begin in September, with expectations the new housing and daycare space could be open in the fall of 2026.