Canada supports affordable housing in Telkwa

Telkwa, British Columbia, May 2, 2022

Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. Affordable housing is key to Canada’s pandemic recovery, including in Telkwa.

Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Nathan Cullen, MLA for Stikine, and Mable Elmore, Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors’ Services and Long-Term Care, announced $2.8 million to build Aldermere House, creating 12 new affordable rental homes for low to moderate incomes seniors in Telkwa.

Of this investment, the Government of Canada is providing $1.5 million in funding through the Canada Community Housing Initiative. The Province, through BC Housing, is providing approximately $1.2 million for the project from the Building BC: Community Housing Fund, and will provide approximately $100,000 in annual operating funding. The Village of Telkwa provided the land, valued at $60,000, and waived approximately $26,000 in municipal fees.

The federal and provincial governments and the Village of Telkwa have partnered with the Telkwa Seniors Housing Society (TSHS) to build these new homes using modular construction to expedite their delivery. These pre-built homes will arrive on site in early May 2022, and the remaining construction is expected to be complete by fall 2022.

Located at 1541 – 1565 Second Ave., Aldermere House will be a one-storey, 12-unit building where each one-bedroom home will be fully accessible for seniors with mobility challenges. The homes will include a bathroom, living and dining area, a kitchen and in-suite laundry.

The project is located on the same site as existing seniors housing development Telkwa House, also operated by TSHS. Monthly rents will be geared to income.

Quotes:

“Canada’s seniors have helped shape this country and contribute to our communities everyday. Thanks to this investment by our government, more seniors in Telkwa will now have a place to call home that is accessible and meets their needs. Through this joint effort, we are creating a stable home environment where seniors can stay and be connected to local communities. This the National Housing Strategy at work.”
— The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion

“Seniors deserve a safe and affordable place to call home. In the later stages of life, having a home that is accessible means that people can age in the dignity and comfort of their own homes and their own community. That’s why we’re making these important investments to build homes, here in Telkwa and across Canada, that are inclusive of seniors, and their mobility needs.”
— The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion

“These much-needed new homes will help seniors live independently and stay connected to their community. I would like to thank CMHC, the Village of Telkwa and Telkwa Seniors Housing Society for working with the Province to get these homes built as quickly as possible.”
— Nathan Cullen, MLA for Stikine

“Seniors deserve quality, affordable homes that let them live independently in their community, close to friends and loved ones. This housing project is part of our government’s commitment to deliver thousands of homes people can afford in every corner of the province.”
— Mable Elmore, Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors’ Services and Long-Term Care

“I’m excited about this project as it allows our seniors with their wisdom and experience to remain in our community.”
— Derek Meerdink, deputy mayor, Village of Telkwa

“The TSHS is eagerly anticipating the arrival of our new modular housing units to our site. The immediate popularity of our first project, Telkwa House, has meant there’s never been a lull in the demand for our affordable housing units and we are pleased that we will soon be able to offer 12 new affordable homes to seniors at Aldermere House. We are grateful to our project funders: BC Housing, CMHC, the Wetzin’kwa Community Forest Corporation and the Village of Telkwa, as well as our hard working team that has contributed to making this much-needed addition to the Telkwa community a reality.”
— John McDevitt, president, Telkwa Seniors Housing Society

Quick facts:

Canada’s National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year, $72+ billion plan that will give more Canadians a place to call home.
This project is part of B.C.’s 10-year, $7-billion housing plan. Since 2017, the Province has funded more than 32,000 affordable new homes that have been completed or are underway for people in B.C.
The B.C. Government is investing $1.9 billion through The Community Housing Fund to build more than 14,000 affordable rental homes for low- and moderate-income families and individuals over 10 years. More than 8,800 of these homes are already open, under construction or in development.

Associated links:

As Canada’s authority on housing, CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need, and offers unbiased housing research and advice to all levels of Canadian government, consumers and the housing industry. CMHC’s aim is that by 2030, everyone in Canada has a home they can afford and that meets their needs. For more information, please visit cmhc.ca or follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.

To find out more about the National Housing Strategy, please visit www.placetocallhome.ca.

To learn about the steps the Province is taking to tackle the housing crisis and deliver affordable homes for British Columbians, visit: https://workingforyou.gov.bc.ca/.

A map showing the location of all announced provincially-funded housing projects in B.C. is available online at: https://www.bchousing.org/homes-for-BC.