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close menu Office of the Premier

B.C. moves to increase housing supply, deliver more homes faster

September 18, 2023 9:00 AM
Creating more homes for people
New measures are coming to B.C. that will help create more housing as the Province speeds up permitting and helps build more secondary suites for rent.
  Read More

Second hospital, new cancer centre breaks ground in Surrey

September 12, 2023 10:55 AM
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close menu Agriculture and Food

XY Ranch celebrates 100 years of raising livestock

August 4, 2023 1:15 PM
The Bouffioux family of Fort St. John is being honoured with a Century Farm Award, recognizing its contribution and dedication to agriculture in British Columbia since 1916. 
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B.C., Canada help farmers with climate adaptation, drought

August 2, 2023 2:00 PM
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close menu Attorney General

Sixty-eight organizations receive grants to help shape anti-racism legislation

July 27, 2023 8:00 AM
Sixty-eight organizations receive grants to help shape anti-racism legislation
Racialized people can now share their perspectives in culturally safe spaces as 68 organizations across B.C. receive more than $300,000 to engage community members on the development of new anti-racism legislation.
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New chair appointed to Building Code Appeal Board

August 24, 2023 8:30 AM
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close menu Children and Family Development

Vancouver Island camp expansion will serve more children with disabilities

July 20, 2023 10:15 AM
Vancouver Island camp expansion will serve more children with disabilities
More children and youth with disabilities will be able to go to camp thanks in part to a $7-million grant from the Province of B.C.
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Newly named SAJE supports offer youth in care a stronger path to adulthood

May 30, 2023 10:30 AM
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More grant recipients promoting BC Demographic Survey

August 25, 2023 11:15 AM
More grant recipients promoting BC Demographic Survey
More community and Indigenous groups are receiving grants to help their communities participate in the BC Demographic Survey. 
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High-speed broadband access expanded to 6 Kootenay communities

August 3, 2023 10:00 AM
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close menu Education and Child Care

Elementary school expansion provides more classrooms for Nanaimo students

September 11, 2023 9:15 AM
École Hammond Bay Elementary
Students have more space for learning at École Hammond Bay Elementary this fall after the completion of an expansion that added 12 new classrooms to the school. 
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Child care savings make returning to school more affordable for more B.C. families

August 31, 2023 1:30 PM
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close menu Emergency Management and Climate Readiness

State of emergency ends, fire response continues

September 14, 2023 3:43 PM
Based on advice from emergency management and wildfire officials, British Columbia’s provincial state of emergency will expire at the end of the day on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023.
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Financial assistance for local governments, First Nations affected by wildfire

September 6, 2023 1:50 PM
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close menu Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation

Electric planes, motorcycles, boats showcase B.C. clean-transportation innovation

August 2, 2023 8:30 AM
A high-tech revolution is dramatically changing how British Columbia moves people and goods in the air, on the land and over the water, supported by government funding for companies that specialize in inventing and advancing zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) technologies. 
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Columbia River Treaty talks move forward after constructive Seattle session

August 15, 2023 3:08 PM
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close menu Environment and Climate Change Strategy

Province sets single-use plastic requirements

July 14, 2023 11:15 AM
Province sets single-use plastic requirements
A new provincial regulation will expand B.C.’s efforts to tackle hard-to-recycle single-use and plastic items.
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Nuxalk, Kitasoo Xai’xais guardians appointed with park ranger authority

July 25, 2023 2:30 PM
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close menu Finance

Increased BC Family Benefit here to stay

July 18, 2023 10:15 AM
Increased BC Family Benefit here to stay
More than 285,000 families throughout B.C. will see bigger payments in their bank accounts starting this month, thanks to the permanently increased BC Family Benefit.
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Tax-credit lift puts more money in more people’s pockets

July 5, 2023 8:30 AM
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close menu Forests

Use caution, be fire safe this long weekend

August 31, 2023 2:30 PM
Be wildfire safe this long weekend
Residents and travellers are strongly urged to use caution and remain vigilant this Labour Day long weekend as ongoing elevated drought conditions in much of British Columbia increase the potential for wildfires.
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B.C. acts to protect fish in Koksilah, Upper Cowichan rivers

August 24, 2023 11:15 AM
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close menu Health

Second hospital, new cancer centre breaks ground in Surrey

September 12, 2023 10:55 AM
Second hospital, new cancer centre breaks ground in Surrey
People in Surrey are a significant step closer to better access to health care as the Province is breaking ground on a new second hospital in Surrey and new cancer centre.
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BC PharmaCare now covers new drugs for rare diseases

August 18, 2023 12:45 PM
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close menu Housing

B.C. moves to increase housing supply, deliver more homes faster

September 18, 2023 9:00 AM
Creating more homes for people
New measures are coming to B.C. that will help create more housing as the Province speeds up permitting and helps build more secondary suites for rent.
  Read More

Safe housing for women leaving violence opens in Campbell River

September 12, 2023 11:15 AM
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close menu Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation

Annual report updates collective efforts to achieve objectives of UN Declaration

June 28, 2023 12:45 PM
Detailed reporting on progress to improve lives of Indigenous Peoples now available
B.C. is providing detailed reporting about progress to achieve the objectives of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UN Declaration) through the 2022-23 Declaration Act Annual Report.
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Ts’uubaa-asatx, B.C. reach reconciliation goal

July 7, 2023 12:00 PM
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close menu Intergovernmental Relations Secretariat

B.C.’s highest honour recognizes 14 British Columbians

August 7, 2023 6:15 AM
B.C.’s highest honour recognizes 14 British Columbians
Fourteen exceptional people who have made an outstanding provincial, national or international impact will be appointed to the Order of British Columbia, the Province’s highest form of recognition and an official part of the Canadian Honours System.
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Submit a nomination for the Medal of Good Citizenship

July 25, 2023 9:30 AM
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close menu Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation

B.C. supports research to protect coastal ecosystem

August 16, 2023 9:15 AM
B.C. supports research to protect coastal ecosystem
New funding for the University of Victoria’s (UVic) Experimental Ocean Climate Change Lab (EXCEL) will support research on the impact of climate change on the environment and the promotion of resilience and sustainability for B.C.’s marine sector.
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Minister’s statement on July Labour Force Survey results

August 4, 2023 8:40 AM
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close menu Labour

Minimum wage increases to $16.75 per hour on June 1

April 5, 2023 12:30 PM
Minimum wage increases to $16.75 per hour on June 1
On June 1, 2023, B.C.'s lowest-paid workers will get a pay raise with the general minimum wage increasing from $15.65 to $16.75 an hour.
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Work continues around improved protections for app-based workers

August 3, 2023 11:15 AM
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close menu Mental Health and Addictions

B.C. secures measures to ensure families feel safe accessing public spaces

September 14, 2023 9:22 AM
Keeping child-focused spaces safe
To help ensure kids and families feel safe in their communities, the Province has received approval from the federal government to prohibit the possession of illegal drugs at playgrounds, spray pools, wading pools and skate parks.
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New recovery beds will support healthier communities in northern B.C.

September 13, 2023 8:30 AM
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close menu Municipal Affairs

Chinese communities connected to services on Weibo

August 16, 2023 8:00 AM
British Columbians now have more options to access government information and services with the recent launch of the Province’s verified account on Weibo, which removes barriers for English learners whose primary language is simplified Chinese.
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Stronger services will support healthy communities in northern B.C.

August 18, 2023 8:30 AM
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close menu Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills

Provincial Tuition Waiver Program expanded to former youth in care of all ages

September 14, 2023 8:00 AM
Provincial Tuition Waiver Program expanded to former youth in care of all ages
People looking to enrol in post-secondary education, who are former youth in care, will benefit from an expansion of the Provincial Tuition Waiver Program, which has launched for the fall semester.
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Expanded graduate scholarship funding will support students

August 22, 2023 12:00 PM
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close menu Public Safety and Solicitor General

New programs, police standards support sexual assault survivors

July 24, 2023 10:45 AM
Stable funding for sexual assault programs, as well as the establishment of new policing standards for responding to sexual assaults, will respect and support the diverse needs of survivors and ensure more effective investigations.
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Supports expanding for people in mental-health, substance-use crisis

July 17, 2023 10:15 AM
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close menu Social Development and Poverty Reduction

More people will get nutritious food with new funding

August 24, 2023 10:45 AM
More people will get nutritious food with new funding
People struggling to put food on the table will have better, more reliable access to healthy food with $15 million in funding to Food Banks BC.
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B.C. helps remove barriers for people with disabilities

July 27, 2023 11:15 AM
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B.C., viaSport take steps to make amateur sport safer

June 20, 2023 3:00 PM
B.C., viaSport take steps to make amateur sport safer
The Province and viaSport are improving safety in sports by continuing to provide education about safe sport, and by taking steps toward an independent complaints process for B.C.’s amateur sport sector.
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Submit a nomination for the Medal of Good Citizenship

July 25, 2023 9:30 AM
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close menu Transportation and Infrastructure

West Fraser Road reopens after washout in 2018

August 23, 2023 11:15 AM
West Fraser Road reopens
People in the Quesnel area can now travel a recently completed new section of West Fraser Road after the old road washed out in 2018. 
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Highway 4 reopens two full lanes for travel

August 31, 2023 2:15 PM
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B.C. moves to increase housing supply, deliver more homes faster

September 18, 2023 9:00 AM
Creating more homes for people
New measures are coming to B.C. that will help create more housing as the Province speeds up permitting and helps build more secondary suites for rent.
  Read More

Public input will enhance B.C.’s first-ever coastal marine strategy

August 15, 2023 2:00 PM
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ARCHIVED: Natural Gas Development

Historic Gastown Hotel officially re-opens in Vancouver

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ARCHIVED: Natural Gas Development Note: This News Release has been archived - the Ministry no longer exists

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Historic Gastown Hotel officially re-opens in Vancouver

https://news.gov.bc.ca/07934

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News Release Communiqué

Vancouver
Friday, February 27, 2015 1:45 PM

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Friday, February 27, 2015 1:45 PM

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After 17 months of renovation, the governments of Canada and B.C., along with community partners, announced the official re-opening of the Gastown Hotel today.

This heritage-designated building is the first to be completed under a public-private partnership to restore 13 provincially owned Single Room Occupancy (SRO) hotels in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside for those who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness.

Located at 110 Water St., the newly restored Gastown Hotel provides 95 SRO units, including four units that have full-kitchen and bathroom facilities designed for couples. Following the completion of the project in fall 2014, all former tenants have either returned to the building, have progressed to other supportive housing sites or moved to independent housing.

The building, managed by Atira Property Management Inc., also features a common kitchen, dining area, lounge, laundry room, administrative offices for support staff, a nurse’s room and a bed bug sauna to treat residents’ belongings when required.

Quick facts:

  • The Province is investing $143.3 million into the SRO Renewal Initiative to renovate 13 SROs under a public-private partnership. This includes $29.1 million from the Government of Canada through the P3 Canada Fund. Building-lifecycle and facilities-maintenance services will be provided for these 13 SROs for 15 years.
  • The 13 provincially owned SROs are over 100 years old with structural, plumbing and electrical infrastructure concerns.
  • The Gastown Hotel is the first building in the SRO Renewal Initiative to be completed. To date, four SROs have been completed and all 13 buildings are expected to be completed by February 2016.
  • In addition to upgrades, the hotels will have their facades restored, preserving their iconic features and historical appearance.
  • Since 2007, the Province has purchased 24 SRO hotels in Vancouver, 23 of which are in the Downtown Eastside (DTES) and surrounding area - protecting close to 1,500 affordable housing units in Vancouver, and close to 1,400 in the DTES neighbourhood.
  • Vacancies in SRO hotels are filled by the street-and-sheltered homeless who can begin the process of getting connected to community services that will help them establish successful tenancies.
  • Since 2001, the B.C. government has invested $4 billion to provide affordable housing for nearly 100,000 low-income individuals, seniors and families in communities throughout the province.

Quotes:

Wai Young, Member of Parliament for Vancouver South -
 
“This project is an excellent example of where government can leverage private-sector expertise to provide innovative solutions to construction and operation challenges presented by these historic buildings. Today, on behalf of our Conservative Government, I am honoured  to participate in the official re-opening of the Gastown Hotel, the first of 13 hotels to be restored as social housing units as part of the Downtown Eastside Housing Renewal Project in Vancouver. It has become a place to call home for those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in Vancouver, as well as delivering a lasting benefit to the community.”

Andrew Wilkinson, MLA for Vancouver-Quilchena, Minister of Advanced Education -

“The revitalized Gastown Hotel is bright, clean, functional, and most importantly it’s a safe home for those who were at-risk. Our vision for this project is to revitalize these historic buildings so that they can provide supportive housing for years to come. The re-opening of the Gastown Hotel today is the first step towards the completion of our vision.”

Rupesh Amin, managing partner, Infrastructure Development, Forum Equity Partners Inc. -

“We are very proud of our partnership with the B.C. government, the Ministry Responsible for Housing, and BC Housing to make this project a monumental success. The opening of the Gastown Hotel, the first of the 13 buildings, is a strong testament to the innovation and collaboration created through this public-private partnership that is achieving on time and on budget delivery of safe, healthy and dignified living conditions for residents of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.”

Janice Abbott, executive director and CEO, Atira Women’s Resource Society -

“The renovations at the Gastown Hotel are nothing short of miraculous. The rejuvenated hotel not only provides our tenants with safe, affordable housing, it also has a common kitchen, laundry facilities, brand new washrooms and other amenity space that aids the health and development of an already robust community. In addition, there is a separate office and a clinic room, which allows us to provide some additional supports when tenants need it most.”

Learn more:

To find out more about the Single Room Occupancy Renewal Initiative (SRI), visit: www.bchousing.org/Initiatives/Renovating/SRO

Incorporated in 2002, Atira Property Management Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Atira Women’s Resource Society, a not-for-profit organization committed to the work of ending violence against women. The society manages 14 different housing developments, and a number of related support programs including counselling, legal advocacy, a self-employment initiative, a community kitchen and a variety of projects and workshops. Learn more at: www.atira.bc.ca (bchousing.org)

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

Media Contacts:

Laura Gallant
BC Housing
604 456-8895
604 417-3111 (mobile)

PPP Canada Media Inquiries
613 947-9480
1 877 947-9480
Media@p3canada.ca

https://www.facebook.com/BCProvincialGovernment/posts/951484704869822:0
https://news.gov.bc.ca/07934

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