29 new supportive homes coming to Northern British Columbia

Lower Post, British Columbia, March 9, 2023

Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, Taleeb Noormohamed, Member of Parliament for Vancouver Granville, and Robert Greenway, Capital Manager, Daylu Dena Council & North West Company announced a combined $3.48 million in federal funding to support the creation of 29 new supportive and transitional homes for people experiencing, or at risk of experiencing homelessness, as well as women and children fleeing violence in Lower Post and New Hazelton.

In Lower Post, a low-rise building will be constructed with 16 affordable two-bedroom units for people experiencing, or at risk of experiencing homelessness, and women and children fleeing violence. The building will be operated by the Government of British Columbia’s Provincial Rental Housing Corporation (PRHC). The Lower Post Health Centre will provide on-site health services for residents such as pre-natal care, elder care, counselling, nursing care, career and life skills training, and more. The Lower Post Supportive and Women's Transition Housing Project is currently under construction. The federal government is providing $1.3 million in funding through the National Housing Co-Investment Fund (NHCF) and the Daylu Dena Council & North West Company is providing $8,900 in land equity.

In New Hazelton, 13 new transitional housing units are being built to provide more housing options for women and their children and residents have moved into their homes. The transitional home will be operated by the Northern Society for Domestic Peace and will feature resident amenity spaces such as a communal kitchen, indoor play area, secure outdoor spaces and laundry for women and children fleeing domestic violence. The federal government is providing $2.08 million in funding through the NHCF and over $97,000 in annual funding for the next five years.

Quotes:

“Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. That is why we are creating much-needed affordable and transitional housing for people experiencing, or at risk of experiencing homelessness, and women and children fleeing violence in Lower Post and New Hazelton. Through these projects, residents will be able to regain their independence and create a brighter future for themselves and their loved ones. This is our government’s National Housing Strategy at work.”
— The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion

“These projects are another example of our government’s commitment toward ensuring that at risk individuals and women and children are able to live in a safe and stable environment. Through this project, people who need it most will have access to housing and resources so that they can improve their quality of life and life with dignity.”
— Taleeb Noormohamed, Member of Parliament for Vancouver Granville

“Over the many years, Daylu Dena Council has struggled to access enough funding to provide more that one home every couple of years for it’s growing membership and to finally have a project that address some of these needs is truly a wonderful accomplishment. Once this project is complete DDC will have 10 Units available for it’s membership to apply for and 6 Units available for Women & Children fleeing violence. With the ability to house more of our Membership, we can strengthen the feeling of self worth and alleviate the feeling of hopelessness.”
— Robert Greenway, Capital Manager, Daylu Dena Council

Quick facts:

The National Housing Co-Investment Fund (NHCF) is a $13.2 billion program under the National Housing Strategy (NHS) that gives priority to projects that help people who need it most, including women and children fleeing family violence, seniors, Indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, those with mental health or addiction issues, veterans, and young adults.
- Budget 2022 proposes to advance $2.9 billion in funding under the NHCF to accelerate the creation of up to 4,300 new units and the repair of up to 17,800 units.
Canada's National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year, $82-plus billion plan that will give more Canadians a place to call home.
- NHS is built on strong partnerships between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments, and continuous engagement with others, including municipalities, Indigenous governments and organizations, and the social and private housing sectors. This includes consultations with Canadians from all walks of life, and people with lived experience of housing need.
- All NHS investments delivered by the federal, provincial, and territorial governments will respect the key principles of NHS that support partnerships, people, and communities.
- As with all projects for women and children leaving violence, the address of this project has not been disclosed due to safety reasons.

Additional Information:

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, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.

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

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

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/.