Habitat for Humanity in Weyburn is no more. The local chapter is closing immediately, according to a release issued Friday afternoon.

In order for a chapter of Habitat for Humanity to remain open, it needs to build a new home every three years, at a minimum. The last Habitat for Humanity home completed in Weyburn was in 2014.

As a result of the closure of the Weyburn chapter, this means the home that was to be built with the Phillips family will not be completed. The build had been announced in 2015.

Kelly Holmes-Binns is the CEO of Habitat for Humanity Regina, which oversaw the Weyburn chapter. She said none of this is the fault of the Phillips’.

“The Phillips family themselves did everything they were supposed to do in regards to the agreement, and this is by no means a reflection on what the family has done or not done,” Holmes-Binns explained. She added the build wasn’t able to get off the ground due to a lack of funding from donors.

Holmes-Binns said the economic downturn in 2015 forced them to postpone the build that year, and it was postponed again last year. With the deadline looming, they were unable to get everything set up and underway this year, and had to cancel the build. Donations which had been made to the project will now be redirected to other Habitat builds in southern Saskatchewan where possible, while keeping the requests of donors in mind, Habitat for Humanity said in their press release.

It was also stated there are no plans in the foreseeable future to extend the Habitat for Humanity program back into Weyburn.