Sewer upgrades delay opening of affordable housing

A new affordable housing project in the southwest Calgary has been delayed by complications with the necessary sewer system upgrades.

When asked by Ald. Gael MacLeod why the newly built residential tower in Manchester was still sitting empty, Owen Tobert told council the project is delayed because the developer overlooked the sewer upgrades.

But Joel Armitage, director of Land Servicing and Housing, said his department has been working on the sewer issue with the builder, Kanas Corporation, from the very beginning.

"Because of the nature of the location and the infrastructure that's around it, it really led to significant delays in trying to get that offsite work done," Armitage said.

Kanas Corporation president Robert Sipka told CBC News that the Lumino tower, the first of three buildings in the rental development at 55th Avenue and Third Street S.W., should be ready for occupancy in the next 30 to 60 days.

MacLeod said there are about 3,000 people on the citys waiting list for affordable housing.