LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON - John Homister has done what most of us can only dream of - he became his own boss.

Fort Simpson's John Homister stands in front of his new purchase: Mackenzie Manor. Homister, a former contractor and the building's current manager, bought the building from his former employer on April 6. - Herb Mathisen/NNSL photo

However, he said things don't feel much different.

Homister, a Fort Simpson resident of 22 years, finalized the purchase of the Albert Faille Apartments on April 6. His first order of business was to change the building's name to Mackenzie Manor.

Fingers black with tar, Homister was busy re-tiling an apartment kitchen on April 20.

"I've been working at it all morning," he said. "And the day before, and the day before, and for the last four years."

That's because Homister had been the building's manager before becoming its owner.

He said the previous owner had been trying to sell the building for a while and, after a few suitors in town passed on the chance, Homister stepped up and said he'd like to buy it.

Homister, a former contractor and home renovator, purchased the 50-bedroom, 50,000 square-foot apartment building for $2.6 million. Thirty-three of the units are presently occupied.

In order to do that, he had to secure a $1.5 million loan from the Business Development and Investment Corporation.

Working through the process with the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment took about two years, said Homister, but he wasn't complaining.

"People can whine about government being slow and hard to deal with, but the real story is the fact that the government is just making doubly sure that the people that they fund do want to do that business," he said.

Nahendeh MLA Kevin Menicoche, who wrote a letter of support to ITI on Homister's behalf, said he was happy for the new building owner.

"When he took over management with the past landlord, he really did exceptional work," said Menicoche. "He standardized the apartments and he is quite suited for the job - being a handyman."

Menicoche believes Homister's ownership will also benefit the community.

"I am really pleased that there will be local ownership, which means that the money produced by him will remain in the community," he said.

Homister said owning the building gives him some financial security and it also provides him with another basic necessity. "It gives me work," he chuckled.

"Since I am a man of many skills, I thought this was the place for me. It lets me do the different types of work that I enjoy doing."

And with much work left to do, Homister is guaranteed a lot of enjoyment to come.

"New floors have to be put down," he said. "Windows have to be resealed. There is a lot of work that has to be done."

"The place is pretty badly rundown. I am going to renovate it and bring it up to standards, so people have a decent place to live," he said.

"I don't expect people to live in anything less than I'd live in."

Homister said the business opportunity was too good to pass up.

"This is something that I have wanted to do all of my life. It's one of those old dreams come true. After a while, you give up on your dreams and you just go work and then, all of a sudden, there it is."

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