A new nine-storey supportive housing building officially opened on Vancouver’s bustling Broadway corridor today, providing 99 homes for adults and youth who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Squamish Nation Chief Ian Campbell named the building Kwayatsut, which means to seek one’s power or spirit quest. Vancouver Native Housing Society provides tenant support programming at Kwayatsut and incorporates elements of Aboriginal culture designed to address life-skills development and foster a sense of purpose and community among residents.

(flickr.com)

Located at 2465 Fraser St., the building includes 95 self-contained studio units and four two-bedroom suites, for a total of 103 beds. The building is also the new home of the Broadway Youth Resource Centre, operated by Pacific Community Resource Society, which offers community-based mental and physical health care, addictions services, community living skills and personal financial training to homeless and at-risk youth. Thirty beds in the building are allotted to youth aged 16 to 24 years.

This is the ninth development to officially open under a partnership between the B.C. government and the City of Vancouver to build 14 new social housing developments on city-owned sites to help end homelessness in Vancouver.

Project partners and funding include:

• The B.C. government arranged approximately $18.8 million in long-term financing, $200,000 for pre-development costs and approximately $6 million through the Ministry of Children and Family Development.
• The B.C. government is providing an annual operating subsidy of $1.4 million.
• The City of Vancouver provided $488,925 in municipal reductions and the land valued at approximately $3.1 million.
• Streetohome Foundation provided over $1.9 million.

Quotes:

Suzanne Anton, MLA for Vancouver-Fraserview, Attorney General and Minister of Justice -

“We have a real opportunity with Kwayatsut and the Broadway Youth Resource Centre to break the cycle of homelessness in Vancouver by focusing on individuals who are most vulnerable to homelessness - our youth. Thanks to this partnership, residents will have access to specialized support programs designed to help in their transition to greater well-being and belonging.”

Mayor Gregor Robertson, City of Vancouver -

“With 99 new units of supportive housing and a special focus on youth and Aboriginal residents who are homeless or at risk, the opening of Kwayatsut reflects our commitment to continue building urgently needed homes for many of Vancouver’s most vulnerable residents. Together with the new Broadway Youth Resource Centre, this project will provide the stability and life-changing services that many young residents are counting on to lead healthier and more hopeful lives in our city.”

Rob Turnbull, president and CEO, Streetohome Foundation -

“At Streetohome, we believe that supportive housing provides the foundation for individuals to create better lives for themselves and their families. We are proud to support this project, its residents and our partners, Vancouver Native Housing Society and Pacific Community Resource Society. We look forward to continuing our work with the Government of Canada, the Province of B.C. and the City of Vancouver to provide vulnerable members of our society with safe, secure housing.”

Richard George, president, Vancouver Native Housing Society -
 
“Vancouver Native Housing Society is extremely proud to celebrate the opening of our third building in the friendly and vibrant community of Mount Pleasant. With this new residence and the Broadway Youth Resource Centre, we see potential for great opportunities and the promise of a bright future for those who live here. We look forward to strengthening ties with our neighbours and celebrating our collective community spirit, as we work to create meaningful experiences for our residents.”

Ingrid Kastens, executive director, Pacific Community Resource Society -

“Pacific Community Resources Society is excited to be offering 30 housing units to youth who are in government care, Aboriginal, or who are LGBTQ2S (lesbian, gay, bi, trans queer and two-spirit). These are the first youth-supported housing units targeting this group to come online in all of Canada. We’re leading the way in supporting this vulnerable population and it makes us very proud to provide these beautiful and safe apartments as homes for these vulnerable young people. We’d like to thank everyone who made this possible, including the City of Vancouver, BC Housing, Streetohome Foundation, Coast Capital, the Ministry of Children and Family Development, and Vancouver Native Housing Society.“

Quick Facts:

• Since 2001, the B.C. government has invested $4.4 billion to provide affordable housing for low-income individuals, seniors and families.
• This year, more than 102,000 B.C. households will benefit from provincial social housing programs and services.
• Last year, the B.C. government invested over $112 million to provide subsidized housing and rent supplements for more than 26,000 households in Vancouver.

Learn More:

For more information on provincial affordable housing programs and efforts to end homelessness in B.C., please visit: www.housingmattersbc.ca/factsheets.html and www.bchousing.org

Streetohome Foundation is working to ensure that vulnerable citizens in Vancouver have access to safe, affordable, supportive housing. They bring together business, government, service providers, and community leaders to build resources and develop lasting solutions to homelessness. Their long-term work is guided by a 10-year plan that will help people break out of the cycle of homelessness, and also prevent people from falling into it. For more information, visit: www.streetohome.org

Founded in 1984, the mission of Vancouver Native Housing Society is to provide safe, secure, affordable housing for Aboriginal individuals and families living in an urban setting. The society also works to create housing solutions for seniors, youth, women at risk, persons living with mental illness, the homeless, and homeless at-risk populations. For more information, visit: www.vnhs.ca

Pacific Community Resources Society (PCRS), a non-profit community social services agency created in 1984, provides a broad range of services to support children, youth, families and adults from Vancouver to Chilliwack and Hope, including housing, addiction services, employment, alternative education, youth and family services, and immigrant supports. PCRS serves more than 10,000 individuals a year. For more information, visit: www.pcrs.ca

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

Media Contacts:

Elaine McKay
BC Housing
778 452-6476

City of Vancouver
Corporate Communications
604 871-6336
media@vancouver.ca