After more than forty years of social innovation in older adult living and care AVENS was recognized with a special honour at the national volunteer awards for 2025. The organization has spent nearly half a century championing “aging in place” rights and access for older adults in the North. "We’re unique in the North and in Yellowknife to be able to provide that degree and variety of service and really focus on our mission, which is allowing seniors to age in place," said Colleen Wellborn
The federal government says they are committing $4-billion for Indigenous housing in urban, rural and northern communities. The announcement was made in Behchokǫ̀ on Friday. The multi billion dollar plan, dubbed the Urban, Rural and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy, intends to balance Indigenous-led funding agreements and open, project-based funding for Indigenous housing projects.