Housing and Municipal Affairs
Twenty-five families, seniors and people living with disabilities in Vernon are settling into new affordable rental homes with the opening of two projects completed as a result of partnership between the Province, through BC Housing, and the Okanagan Village Housing Society.
The Government of Canada also invested in the Pleasant Valley Road project through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation-British Columbia bilateral National Housing Strategy agreement.
“These two new buildings will help a wide range of people in Vernon – from seniors on fixed incomes to growing families and people living with disabilities – find a good, affordable home,” said Harwinder Sandhu, MLA for Vernon-Monashee. “Thank you to the Okanagan Village Housing Society for working with us to deliver these much-needed homes. I am proud of our local organization's partnerships and our government's ongoing and historic investments to address housing availability. I know these homes will benefit the community for years to come.”
The Village at Okanagan Landing, at 6335 Okanagan Landing, has 13 one-, two- and three-bedroom units for families with low to moderate incomes, seniors, and people living with disabilities. The project is located close to Vernon’s downtown with easy access to public services, schools, a nearby walking trail and public transit.
“Working in affordable housing provides me with daily experience of the number of people who are in crisis due to the housing shortage in our community,” said Cindy Masters, executive director, Okanagan Village Housing Society. “This project is a wonderful collaboration with the society, BC Housing, City of Vernon and financial support from the federal government.”
An additional 12 affordable townhouse-style homes are open for individuals with low to moderate incomes, seniors, families and people living with disabilities. Located at 4005 Pleasant Valley Rd., the new homes vary in size from single-storey one-bedroom units to two-storey three-bedroom homes.
“Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home,” said Ahmed Hussen, federal Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion. “These 25 new rental homes will provide stability and a higher quality of life for families and seniors and people with disabilities. By investing in affordable housing, we are helping to create a more inclusive society where every Canadian has a chance to succeed. This is one of the many ways our government’s National Housing Strategy continues to ensure no one is left behind.”
Okanagan Village Housing Society will own and manage both buildings. Residents started moving into their new homes on April 1, 2023.
“Thanks to this partnership, residents of Vernon will have access to safe and affordable homes,” said Taleeb Noormohamed, Member of Parliament for Vancouver Granville. “This project is improving the economic and social well-being of those who will soon call this new building home. The federal government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians can find a home that meets their needs and budget.”
This project is part of a $19-billion housing investment by the B.C. government. Since 2017, the Province has delivered more than 74,000 new homes that have been completed or are underway, including more than 500 homes in Vernon.
Learn More:
To learn more about government’s Homes for People action plan, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023HOUS0019-000436
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/
A backgrounder follows.
