MOOSE JAW — Businesswoman Zhu Xiaoming has lived in Moose Jaw for only four years, but she loves it so much she created a 23-unit housing community north of the city.

Dozens of supporters helped Zhu – in Chinese culture, it is common for names to begin with the family name – launch the Canswan Homeland community housing project on October 30. The community is located at 145 North Service Road, next to the Moose Jaw Inn.

There was then a reception in Zhu’s office in the Mualla Professional Building at 290 Fourth Avenue Northeast.

Zhu’s company, Canswan Holdings Ltd., through its subsidiary Canswan Farmland Ltd., spent about four years and $5 million to complete the project. Eighteen housing units are present and should soon be ready for occupancy, while there will be 23 in total.

Vancouver-based Welkin Renewables is also partnering with Canswan Holdings to install solar panels on every home to bring green energy to Moose Jaw.

The creation of the community is Canswan Holdings’ proactive response to the city council’s request for affordable and accessible housing, Zhu said through interpreter Liu (Ben) Zhaobin. She hoped the project would bring warmth and shelter to more low-income families.

“Moose Jaw, with its prairie charm and rich history, deeply captivated me. This city has become my home at heart, which inspired me to write a new book called “Moose Jaw – My Dream Home”… (which) is filled with heartfelt emotions,” she continued, specifying that she would publish the book in Chinese and English.

“I believe in destiny and I am grateful for the opportunity to build this beautiful home (community) with all of you, for me and for future generations,” she added.

The businesswoman also wrote two other books, both on agriculture and agriculture in Canada.

Zhu later said that she was “very excited” and “very happy” about this project because the process of making it was long.

The site was originally owned by the late Les MacKenzie, an influential city councilor and tourism advocate, after whom the famous moose was named. After operating Mac’s Cycle, formerly located where the casino parking lot is today, he began developing a trailer park in the mid-1970s.

MacKenzie’s daughter, Maxine, 82, attended the grand opening of the housing community and remembers helping him install underground plumbing around the property. They operated the site from 1979 until selling it to Canswan Holdings in August – a period of 45 years and 23 days.

“I’m sure my dad would really appreciate that,” Maxine told the crowd. “And I hope your new business is a great success for everyone, including the tenants moving here and the owners of the property.”

Canswan Holdings plans to erect a life-size statue of MacKenzie in the neighborhood and create a small memorial hall to mark his life and contributions.

Mayor Clive Tolley said he was impressed with the new development, noting that this community is a great response to the housing shortage in Moose Jaw. He also believed the site would fill up quickly, given the city’s growth.

Afterwards, Zhu – through interpreter Kelvin Hu – explained that she was a university professor specializing in agriculture in China before moving to Vancouver and living there for 21 years. She then followed her dream and bought a farm south of Moose Jaw — near Kayville, near Avonlea — before moving to town about four years ago.

Meanwhile, Zhu loves swans – she has several paintings of them in her office – and named her China-based company after them. So, “Canswan” is a combination of Canada and the swan.

“I thought Moose Jaw was a great city for me because farming is just one of my passions,” Zhu said. “So Moose Jaw seemed like the ideal place to broaden the spectrum of my activities. »

The businesswoman added that she is also interested in culture, arts, film and tourism and wants to bring more such resources to Moose Jaw.