Families, seniors and people with disabilities in Ladysmith will soon have more affordable housing options, with construction underway on a 36-unit rental housing project in the community.

“It is vital that we help deliver the affordable homes people need in Ladysmith and throughout the province,” said David Eby, Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Housing. “Local partners, such as the Ladysmith Resources Centre Association, are essential to help the provincial government deliver these badly needed homes quickly and efficiently. I’m so grateful for this organization’s support and energy to get these homes delivered for the community.”

Located at 314 Buller St., the four-storey building will provide studio, one- and two-bedroom homes for people with moderate and low incomes. The building also has main-floor office rental space.

The Ladysmith Resources Centre Association will operate the new homes on land owned by the non-profit group.

“The Buller Street project has been a labour of love for numerous Ladysmith Resources Centre Association volunteer committees and board of directors, past and present,” said Vicky Stickwood-Hislop, board president, Ladysmith Resources Centre Association. “With the generosity of our donors and funders, this project will meet a diverse range of housing needs in the community and will provide space for local organizations to deliver community-oriented services and programming.”

The Province is providing a grant of approximately $3.8 million from the Building BC: Community Housing Fund for the project, and will provide approximately $227,000 in annual operating funding.

The project is located on the site of an abandoned church, which has been demolished.

People will be able to move into their new homes by fall 2022.

Quotes:

Doug Routley, MLA for Nanaimo-North Cowichan –

“This development will be a welcome addition to the community, offering affordable rental homes for people with a range of incomes. I would like to thank the Ladysmith Resources Centre Association and the Town of Ladysmith for all of their hard work in getting this project off the ground. Projects like this are how we build healthy, thriving communities.”

Aaron Stone, mayor, Town of Ladysmith –

“As we strive towards creating a more inclusive and welcoming Ladysmith, this affordable housing project is an important step forward in our goal to provide housing for people of all ages, incomes and abilities. We’re proud to be working with BC Housing and the Ladysmith Resources Centre Association to ensure that together we meet the housing needs of everyone 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).
• The Province is working in partnership to increase the supply of affordable homes throughout the Cowichan Valley for people with a range of income levels. Including this project, 174 homes are complete or underway.

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/