Office of the Premier
Women and children leaving violence now have 55 more safe spaces to call home.
This is thanks to a partnership between the Province, through BC Housing, and the Campbell River and North Island Transition Society.
“These new Eagle Harbour transition spaces will be there as a safety net for women and children leaving violence,” said Michele Babchuk, MLA for North Island. “I am grateful to the Campbell River and North Island Transition Society for creating and operating these new homes so we can ensure safe housing for vulnerable members of the community for years to come.”
Eagle Harbour is a newly opened five-storey building for women and gender-diverse people who are leaving violence. It has 36 units of second-stage housing with on-site supports intended for use as temporary, short-stay housing. Eagle Harbour also has 19 units of affordable rentals for more permanent housing options.
“Women and gender-diverse people should have a safe place when they need it, and Eagle Harbour provides life-changing relief for those in need of a home beyond transitional housing,” said Kelli Paddon, Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity. “Our government will continue to take action to build safer, more supportive communities while ensuring survivors of violence can access the care and supports they need.”
Residents will pay either 30% of their income for rent or, for those receiving income or disability assistance, the provincial shelter rate.
“On behalf of the City of Campbell River, we’re thrilled to see this much-needed housing open,” said Kermit Dahl, mayor, Campbell River. “These second-stage homes and long-term affordable housing units for women and children will help break the cycle of abuse and provide a safe, secure home for individuals to thrive. Thank you to the Province for funding this development and Campbell River and North Island Transition Society for making this important project a reality.”
The society will operate the new homes. The Province, through BC Housing, invested nearly $21 million through the Building BC: Women’s Transition Housing Fund (WTHF) for the project. More than $1 million in annual operating funding will also be provided for the building.
“It’s been a long road to completion of this new housing with supports for women and their children in Campbell River, but the outcome makes it all worthwhile,” said Valerie Puetz, past executive director of Campbell River and North Island Transition Society. “This is a great addition to the services provided by our society.”
The development is part of a $19-billion housing investment by the B.C. government. Since 2017, the Province has more than 76,000 homes that have been delivered or are underway, including nearly 300 homes in Campbell River.
Quick Facts:
- The Women's Transition Housing Fund was created in 2018 as 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.
- As part of the Province’s new housing plan, Homes for People, the government is investing a further $1.3 billion over the next 10 years to double the number of Women's Transition Housing Fund spaces, bringing the total to 3,000.
- To date, nearly 1,000 units are complete or underway, giving women and their children a place to regroup and rebuild their lives.
- As is generally the case for projects for women and children leaving violence, the address of this project has not been disclosed for safety reasons.
Learn More:
To learn more about government’s new Homes for People action plan, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023HOUS0019-000436
To learn about the steps the Province is taking to tackle the housing crisis and deliver affordable homes for British Columbians, visit: https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/housing/
