Media Contacts

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing

Media Relations
778 584-1255

BC Housing

Media Relations
media@bchousing.org

Backgrounders

Funding for new housing projects in the Interior

Projects open or opening soon:

  • Keremeos, 815 7th Ave.:
    • The Province provided $2.3 million in capital funding.
  • Vernon, 5545 27th Ave.:
    • The Province provided $6.3 million in capital funding.
    • The federal government provided $2.2 million from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation Co-Investment fund.
    • The City of Vernon provided $415,000 in municipal waivers.

Projects starting or under construction:

  • Merritt, 4010 Walters St.:
    • The Province, through BC Housing’s HousingHub, is providing $16.6 million in interim construction financing to Olympic Villas Inc.
    • Olympic Villas Inc. provided the land valued at $1.8 million and $1.2 million in cash equity.
  • Vernon, 4005 Pleasant Valley Rd.:
    • The Province is providing $1.2 million from the Building BC: Community Housing Fund, as well as interim construction financing of $2.8 million and annual operating funding.
    • The City of Vernon provided the land, which is valued at $600,000, and $134,000 in municipal waivers.
    • The non-profit operator, Vernon and District Community Land Trust Society, is providing $69,000 in equity.
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 23,000 new homes are complete, 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 Dec. 31, 2019, this includes:

Housing for people with middle incomes

The average annual household income qualifying for homes underway is under $99,000 per year:

  • HousingHub: 2,802 homes

Housing for people with low to moderate incomes

This includes people residing in social housing (household incomes less than $65,000) as well as those living in affordable market rentals (households with annual incomes up to $74,000) – 9,837 homes:

Affordable market:

  • Building BC: Community Housing Fund (30% of units in each project): 1,565 rental homes for people with low to moderate incomes
  • Affordable Rental Housing Program: 1,615 homes for people with low to moderate incomes
  • Deepening Affordability Fund: 1,976 homes for people with low to moderate incomes
  • Regional Housing First Program: 907 homes for people with low to moderate incomes

Social housing or subsidized rents:

  • Building BC: Community Housing Fund (50% of units in each project): 2,609 rental homes for people with low incomes
  • Building BC: Indigenous Housing Fund: 1,165 homes for Indigenous peoples, on and off reserve

Housing for people with very low incomes

Rental housing for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, or for people with very low incomes (includes supportive housing and shelter-rate housing) – 4,795 homes:

  • Rapid Response to Homelessness: 2,012 homes with 24/7 support
  • Building BC: Supportive Housing Fund: 1,060 homes with 24/7 support
  • Building BC: Women’s Transition Housing Fund: 679 spaces of transition, second-stage and affordable rental housing for women and children leaving violence
  • Building BC: Community Housing Fund (20% of units in each project): 1,044 homes

Housing for students – 5,584 homes:

  • BC Student Housing Loan Program: 2,699 on-campus student housing units are under construction, in development or in the approvals process
  • 2,885 student housing units are also complete, under construction or in development through partnerships with post-secondary institutions

Total: 23,018 homes