The governments of Canada and British Columbia, along with community partners, officially opened The Salvation Army’s Northern Centre of Hope today, which offers 64 shelter and transitional beds for individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in Fort St. John.

The newly renovated $6-million, two-storey building is managed and operated by The Salvation Army. They are also providing residents access to on- and  off-site support services, amenity space for addiction programs as well as a drop-in meal centre six days a week for people in need.

Quick facts:

• The building is located at 9824 - 99th Ave.
• The governments of Canada and B.C. provided a combined investment of $1.5 million through the the Federal-Provincial Housing Initiative (http://www.bchousing.org/Initiatives/Creating/FPHi), under the Canada-B.C. Agreement for Investment in Affordable Housing 2011-2014 (http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/corp/nero/nere/2011/2011-07-04-0930.cfm) that was recently extended until 2019 (https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/corp/nero/nere/2014/2014-03-04-1530.cfm).
• The Government of Canada - Employment and Social Development Canada through the Homelessness Partnering Strategy contributed an additional $440,000.
• The Government of B.C. committed $3.2 million.
• The Salvation Army provided over $880,000 through fundraising efforts.

Quotes:

Bob Zimmer, Member of Parliament for Prince George-Peace River, on behalf of the Honourable Candice Bergen, Minister of State for Social Development -

“Our government recognizes the need to provide people at-risk of homelessness with a safe place during times of crisis. By investing in the Northern Centre of Hope, we are helping to increase access to safe and affordable housing for all residents in need.’’ 
 
Pat Pimm, MLA for Peace River North -

“The Northern Centre of Hope is an important example of how strong partnerships help change people's lives. It opens the doors for people who are homeless or at-risk by  increasing access to the housing and support services they need. These beds represent  a key step in breaking the cycle of homelessness for people to rebuild their lives.”

Mayor Lori Ackerman, City of Fort St. John -

“The renovations to the former Cedar Lodge Motor Inn address an important need for those at risk in our city. I’d like to thank the governments of Canada and British Columbia for their contribution and in particular, The Salvation Army for bringing their vision and dedication to this community.”

Lt. Colonel Larry R. Martin, divisional commander, The Salvation Army British Columbia Division -

“We’re pleased to expand our range of support services offered in the North Peace region for those at-risk. This opening represents another step forward in our fight to end poverty and to provide hope to our neighbours in crisis. Thank you to all our partners for making The Salvation Army Northern Centre of Hope a reality.”

Associated links:

• Annually, the Government of Canada, through Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), will invest approximately $2 billion in housing. Of this amount, $1.7 billion will be spent in support of close to 600,000 households living in existing social housing. In British Columbia, this represents an estimated 67,350 households. The remaining funding supports housing-related activities and affordable housing programs. To find out more about how the Government of Canada and CMHC are working to build stronger homes and communities for all Canadians, visit: www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca
• This year, more than 98,000 B.C. households will benefit from provincial social-housing programs and services. To find out more, visit: www.bchousing.org
• The Salvation Army is an international Christian non-profit organization dedicated to providing social services and assistance to those that are marginalized and overlooked in over 400 communities across Canada and more than 120 countries around the globe. To find out more information, visit: http://www.salvationarmy.ca/bcd

Stay connected:

• Follow CMHC on Twitter: @CMHC_ca (twitter.com)
• Follow BC Housing on Twitter: @BC_Housing (twitter.com)

Media Contacts:

Elaine McKay
BC Housing
778 452-6476

Andrea Scott
CMHC Communications
604 737-4064

Lauren Chan
The Salvation Army
604 296-3819