Minister of Natural Gas Development Rich Coleman released the following statement regarding an agreement with Fortis and Hawaiian Electric on May 19, 2016:

Families and individuals with low incomes will soon have access to more affordable housing options when construction is complete on a new apartment-style building in central Penticton.

Families and individuals with low incomes will benefit from new affordable rental housing in Greater Victoria, thanks to an agreement between the provincial government and the Capital Regional District (CRD).

The British Columbia government is working with Westbank Project Corporation to redevelop two adjacent buildings located on West Cordova St. into a single building to help address homelessness in Vancouver.

The B.C. government is providing $510,000 to keep My Place temporary shelter in Victoria open for an additional five months, until Sept. 30, 2016.

The B.C. government has committed $960,000 to keep the Boulevard Winter Shelter in Surrey open until April 30, 2017.

People in need of shelter in Campbell River will continue to have a safe, warm place to stay until the end of June 2016.

Hydraulic fracturing is a technological process used to extract natural gas from shale rocks. Shale formations have very small pore spaces and low permeability, making the extraction of gas difficult. Hydraulic fracturing is required to increase the permeability of the rock and to facilitate the movement of gas up a wellbore.

The April 2016 natural gas and petroleum rights sale has resulted in $375,251.18 in bonus bids.

More than 20 people now have a safe, affordable place to live at Revelstoke Community Housing Society’s new townhouse complex, which celebrated its official opening.