Women and children leaving violence will soon have more safe and secure housing options in Campbell River as construction begins on a new 55-unit women’s housing project.

“This new development will give women and their dependent children leaving abusive situations in Campbell River another safe housing option, where they can find stability, security and access to support services,” said Michele Babchuk, MLA for North Island. “I am grateful to our community partners for working with us on these vital and much-needed new homes. When we come together and support one another, we can build a safer and healthier community for everyone.”

Eagle Harbour, a five-storey development, will have 34 units of second-stage housing, providing short-term housing with on-site supports, and 21 units of affordable rental housing for women, including transgender women, non-binary and Two-Spirit people, who need a permanent place to stay. The building will have a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units. Amenities will include a secure outdoor children’s play area and raised garden beds, as well as covered bike and scooter storage.

“The start of this work represents another important step forward to providing much-needed affordable housing for the community of Campbell River,” said Andy Adams, mayor, City of Campbell River. “The project is based on strong partnerships with BC Housing and the Campbell River and North Island Transition Society. The development will be a welcome addition to the area and provide housing close to downtown and community amenities.”

The building will be managed by the Campbell River and North Island Transition Society (CRNITS). The Campbell River Women’s Resource Centre, which is associated with CRNITs, will lease the ground-floor commercial space, offering peer support, crisis counselling and poverty-reduction services to residents and the community. 

“We are extremely excited to have construction beginning on Eagle Harbour,” said Valery Puetz, executive director, CRNITS. “When complete, this project will help us provide a continuum of services and housing for women and families — from emergency shelter through medium-term transitional programs to permanent housing. We are very grateful to BC Housing for funding this project and the City of Campbell River for their ongoing support contributions to the project.”

The homes are funded through the Province’s Building BC: Women’s Transition Housing Fund (WTHF), a $734-million investment over 10 years to build and operate 1,500 transition housing, second-stage housing and long-term housing spaces for women and children leaving violence.

“These new homes will provide women and children with compassionate care and a safe place to live when they make the decision to leave an abusive situation,” said Grace Lore, Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity. “In addition, the permanent, affordable homes Eagle Harbour will also offer will be crucial in helping residents rebuild their lives when they are ready to leave transitional housing.”

Rental rates will be calculated at 30% of the resident’s income or the provincial shelter rate for those who are receiving income or disability assistance.

Construction is expected to be complete in fall 2023.

This project is part of B.C.’s 10-year, $7-billion housing plan. Since 2017, the Province has funded nearly 32,000 affordable new homes that have been completed or are underway for people in B.C., including nearly 200 homes in Campbell River.

Quick Facts:

• The Province, through BC Housing, is investing approximately $18.5 million for the project through the WTHF, as well as annual subsidies of $497,746 for the 34 units of second-stage housing and $61,395 for the 21 units of permanent housing.
• The City of Campbell River donated one of the four lots for the project, valued at approximately $300,000, and is waiving $308,655 in development cost charges, off-site work requirements and other fees.
• As with all projects for women and children leaving violence, the address of this project has not been disclosed due to safety reasons.
• The Province, through BC Housing, supports more than 110 transition houses, safe homes and second-stage housing in British Columbia for women with or without children who are at risk of or have experienced violence.

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/