Seniors in need of homes they can afford in Merritt will soon have new rental homes to choose from, with construction underway on a new 44-unit apartment building in the community.

“These new homes will help seniors live independently and stay connected to their community,” said David Eby, Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Housing. “Providing homes people can afford in every corner of the province is our goal, and today’s announcement is great news for these seniors and for the broader community.”

Located on provincially owned land at 2230 Quilchena Ave., Cedar Terrace will provide studio, one-bedroom and accessible apartments within a four-storey building.

ASK Wellness Society will operate the new homes for seniors with moderate and low incomes. The society is receiving approximately $4.7 million from the Province’s Building BC: Community Housing Fund.

“We are very excited for what this new housing will provide to the City of Merritt, in particular those who have found it challenging to find safe and affordable housing,” said Bob Hughes, executive director, ASK Wellness Society. “This new facility is being created to honour the needs of our local aging population by providing housing to residents who are 55 and older with rental fees geared to their income. After 14 years of operations in Merritt, we have seen the growing gap in accessible housing for seniors, and with Cedar Terrace we are narrowing that gap.”

The site is located in the city’s downtown core, within walking distance to many community services.

Construction is expected to be complete in summer 2022.

Quotes:

Roly Russell, MLA for Boundary-Similkameen –

“Supporting our seniors by helping them continue to live in – and contribute to – our communities helps build a stronger rural B.C. These new units will have a major impact in Merritt, delivering safe and affordable homes for 44 seniors. Thank you to ASK Wellness Society for working with the Province to address the urgent need for seniors housing in the community.”

Linda Brown, mayor, City of Merritt –

“There is a significant housing shortage in Merritt right now, especially for seniors, so I am thrilled about this project. On behalf of council, we are extremely thankful for the support and foresight from BC Housing and Ask Wellness in addressing this critical need. I have heard from so many seniors who desperately need quality, affordable housing and couldn’t be happier to see this project move forward in our community.”

Quick Facts:

• The Community Housing Fund is part of the Province’s 10-year, $7-billion housing plan.
  • It is an investment of $1.9 billion to build more than 14,000 affordable rental homes for low- and moderate-income families and individuals over 10 years.
  • More than 6,100 of these homes are already open, under construction or in development.
• The Community Housing Fund supports mixed-income buildings where 50% of the units are for households with annual incomes up to $64,000 (rent-geared-to-income units), 30% of the units are for households with incomes up to approximately $74,000 (market rental units) and 20% of the units are for households with very low incomes (including those on income or disability assistance).

Learn More:

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 learn about the steps the Province is taking to tackle the housing crisis and deliver affordable homes for British Columbians, visit: https://workingforyou.gov.bc.ca/