Dream Home Partnership Celebrates 30 Years

Kamloops, BC – Last night, CHBA Central Interior, YMCA BC, and Thompson Rivers University (TRU) Trades and Technology came together to mark 30 years of their three-way partnership.

Held at the Colombo Lodge in Kamloops, the dinner meeting brought together members, industry partners, and community leaders to recognize the long-standing collaboration behind the Training House and YMCA Dream Home program.

For three decades, this partnership has delivered real results—hands-on training for trades students, high-performance homes built by industry, and critical funding for YMCA programs that support families across the region.

“This partnership works because each organization brings something essential to the table,” said Chris Crowell, President of CHBA Central Interior. “TRU provides the next generation of skilled trades, our members bring industry expertise, and the YMCA ensures the impact reaches the community. Together, we’re building more than homes—we’re building futures.”

Since its inception, the program has provided hundreds of trades students with real-world construction experience, helping address ongoing labour shortages while strengthening the residential construction industry.

“Students aren’t learning in a classroom—they’re building a real home alongside industry,” said Baldev Pooni, Dean of Trades and Technology at TRU. “That kind of hands-on experience creates confidence, accountability, and graduates who are truly job-ready.”

Once completed, each Training House is finished by CHBA CI members and industry partners as the Y Dream Home, with proceeds from the lottery supporting local YMCA programs and services.

You can watch the Dream Home Walk-through video