People with moderate and low incomes are settling into new affordable rental homes in downtown Victoria with the opening of The Dalmatian.

“We are taking action to build affordable rental housing in Victoria and across British Columbia,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing. “The opening of The Dalmatian shows we are delivering homes people need, with much more to come. Through our new Homes for People action plan, we’re supporting vibrant and diverse communities by providing housing for a range of people at rents they can afford.”

Located at 1021 Johnson St., the Dalmatian is the result of a partnership between the Province, through BC Housing, the City of Victoria, Pacifica Housing and Dalmatian Developments. It is the largest purpose-built affordable rental project of its kind in downtown Victoria.

The eight-storey building has 130 rental homes, including a mix of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units, which were constructed above offices and a new fire hall. Monthly rents range from $375 to $2,900, depending on unit size and resident income.

Pacifica Housing owns and operates the building. People started moving into their new homes in February 2023.

“Projects like this are critical to building strong, healthy communities,” said Grace Lore, MLA for Victoria-Beacon Hill. “I’d like to thank the city, Pacifica and Dalmatian Developments for working with us to open the type of rental building our downtown core urgently needs. These new homes will make life better for the people of Victoria.”

Jawl Residential, on behalf of Dalmatian Developments, built the new rental homes and firehall as Phase 1 of a mixed-use community. More than 480 market-rate rental homes will be built in the remaining phases of the development that will also include a diverse mix of commercial, retail and restaurant space, as well as dedicated public spaces, including a 250-square-metre (2,700 square feet) public plaza.

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 3,000 homes in Victoria.

Quotes:

Marianne Alto, mayor, Victoria –

“The City of Victoria is committed to being part of the solution to our affordable housing crisis, creating more affordable homes for people. This mixed-use development is a double win – more Victorians can afford to live downtown, and our city has gained a state-of-the-art, post-seismic, public-safety building. We’re thrilled that the new Victoria Fire Department Headquarters has a new home.”

Carolina Ibarra, CEO, Pacifica Housing –

“The Dalmatian is a beautiful and affordable family-friendly rental building. It is a testament to how affordable housing can enhance a community and to the creative solutions that partnerships can deliver.”

David Jawl, director of development, Dalmatian Developments –

“We are very proud of the work that went into developing and constructing The Dalmatian and Victoria Fire Department Headquarters. The completion of this project is a wonderful example of how partnerships between the private and public sector can succeed to deliver much-needed housing and safety infrastructure in our communities.”

Quick Facts:

• The Province, through BC Housing, provided $19 million from the Building BC: Community Housing Fund for the project and will provide annual operating funding of approximately $1.6 million.
• The Community Housing Fund is a $3.3-billion investment to build more than 20,000 affordable rental homes for people with moderate and low incomes.
• Nearly 9,000 of these homes are open, or underway across the province.

Learn More:

To learn more about government’s new 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 at: 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/