People struggling to afford housing in the community now have access to nearly 100 new homes, thanks to a partnership between the Province, the City of Terrace and Ksan House Society.
“Northwest communities like Terrace were left to suffer under the weight of a housing crisis for too long,” said Jennifer Rice, MLA for North Coast. “These new homes will give people the peace of mind that comes from having a safe and affordable place to call home – something that every British Columbian deserves.”
People experiencing homelessness in the community are moving into new safe and secure homes with 24/7 support at Sonder House. Located at 4523 Olson Ave., the three-storey modular apartment building features 52 units, including three accessible units on the ground floor. Each unit includes a bathroom and kitchenette.
Ksan House Society will operate the building and provide residents with meal programs, life and employment skills training and access to health and wellness support services.
The non-profit organization is also celebrating the opening of Stone Ridge Estates, which recently opened its doors to low-income individuals and families. The three-storey apartment building provides 45 affordable rental homes, including two accessible units. Monthly rental rates range between $595 and $875.
“Having both the new affordable housing and supportive housing programs adds significantly to our portfolio and gives us the opportunity to provide a better housing continuum to the community of Terrace. These new programs are just the beginning to fill a very large gap in the housing sector in the northwest. We are thankful to both the Government of B.C. and the City of Terrace for their support,” said Amanda Bains, executive director, Ksan House Society.
“The City of Terrace is pleased to have supported BC Housing and Ksan House Society in providing new, affordable and modern housing for people with low incomes or who are homeless,” said Carol Leclerc, mayor, City of Terrace. “The contributions by the city are significant and include land and grants. A secure place to call home is the foundation of wellness. We wish each individual and family all the best in their new homes.”
As a result of provincial investments, more than 20,000 new homes are completed or underway throughout B.C.
Delivering affordable housing is a shared priority between government and the BC Green Party caucus, and is part of the Confidence and Supply Agreement.
Quick Facts:
- The B.C. government provided approximately $10 million in capital funding for the modular supportive housing project and approximately $8.4 million in capital funding for the affordable housing project.
- The City of Terrace provided the land valued at $220,000 for the modular supportive housing project and a $250,000 Affordable Housing Fund grant, municipal waivers in the amount of $178,000 and the land valued at approximately $441,000 for the affordable housing project.
- Through the Building BC: Rapid Response to Homelessness program, the Province is investing $291 million to build 2,000 homes around the province and providing annual operating funding to provide 24/7 staffing and support services. More than 1,400 are complete.
- The Province is also working in partnership with M’akola Housing Society to build 48 homes for Indigenous peoples in Terrace through the Building BC: Indigenous Housing Fund.
Learn More:
Building BC: Rapid Response to Homelessness program:
https://www.bchousing.org/partner-services/Building-BC/rapid-response-homelessness
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 find out what the Province is doing to improve housing affordability, visit:
https://news.gov.bc.ca/factsheets/bc-government-addressing-housing-affordability-challenges
Read Homes for B.C., government’s 30-point plan to address housing affordability for British Columbians:
bcbudget.gov.bc.ca/2018/homesbc/2018_Homes_For_BC.pdf
Two backgrounders follow.