(flickr.com)

Media Contacts

Darren Harbord

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
250 882-8518

Laura Matthews

BC Housing
604 439-8571

Backgrounders

Services and supports provided for modular housing

All new modular housing buildings in the province have around-the-clock staffing to help young people, people with disabilities, seniors and others in critical need of housing.

The Province provides annual operating funding to help those with the highest housing needs to build new beginnings. Experienced staff provide support to tenants, based on their assessed needs.

Services and supports provided to young people, seniors, people with disabilities and others who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness, include:

  • both on-site supports and connection to additional specialized supports in their community;
  • supports that are tailored to the needs of the residents, including education and employment opportunities, as well as health and wellness services, including mental health and addiction treatment programs;
  • individual or group support services, such as life skills, community information and social and recreational programs;
  • meals;
  • case planning and needs assessment;
  • other supports designed to assist residents in meeting their personal and housing goals, including culturally specific programs;
  • help accessing income assistance, pension benefits, disability benefits, obtaining a B.C. identification card or establishing a bank account;
  • support for residents to learn how to operate and maintain a home; and
  • no-cost laundry services, either on- or off-site.
Province building new homes to meet full spectrum of housing needs

The B.C. government is working in partnership to build 114,000 affordable homes that cover the full spectrum of housing needs for British Columbians by 2028.

Budget 2018 included a $7-billion investment in the homes people need. As a result of that investment, more than 22,000 new homes are completed, under construction or in the approvals process for a range of people who are struggling to find a place to live, from people who are experiencing homelessness and seniors on fixed incomes, to middle-income families, students and individuals. As of Aug. 31, 2019, this includes:

Housing for middle-income earners (households with annual incomes between $50,000 and $150,000) – approximately 4,120 homes:

  • Building BC: Community Housing Fund: approximately 1,500 rental homes for people with middle incomes
  • HousingHub: approximately 2,620 homes

Housing for people with low to moderate incomes (including some where rents are based on 30% of household income and others with set rents, which are designed to be affordable; to moderate-income households, in most cases earning less than $70,000 annually) – approximately 9,320 homes:

  • Building BC: Community Housing Fund: approximately 3,700 rental homes for people with low to moderate incomes
  • Affordable Rental Housing Program: nearly 1,600 homes for low to moderate incomes
  • Deepening Affordability Fund: more than 2,150 homes for low to moderate incomes
  • Building BC: Indigenous Housing Fund: more than 1,170 homes for Indigenous peoples, on- and off-reserve
  • Regional Housing First Program: more than 700 homes for people with low to moderate incomes

Housing for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness (shelter-rate housing) – more than 3,060 homes:

  • Rapid Response to Homelessness: 2,064 homes with 24/7 support
  • Building BC: Supportive Housing Fund: nearly 800 homes with 24/7 support
  • Regional Housing First Program: more than 200 homes for those ready to live independently with supports

Housing for women and children leaving violence – approximately 360 homes:

  • Building BC: Women’s Transition Housing Fund: approximately 360 spaces of transition, second-stage and affordable rental housing for women and children leaving violence

Housing for students – approximately 5,600 homes:

  • BC Student Housing Loan Program: approximately 2,700 on-campus student housing units are underway or in the approvals process
  • Nearly 2,900 student housing units are also underway or in development through partnerships with post-secondary institutions

Total: approximately 22,460 homes