Twenty new rental homes are ready for residents at Cottonwood Place, providing seniors in Lumby with more choices for comfortable and accessible living.

“Seniors in B.C. deserve to age in place with dignity, close to the communities they’ve helped build,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs. “Cottonwood Place is part of our commitment to deliver more accessible housing faster, so seniors can live independently, safely and comfortably in the community they call home.”

Cottonwood Place, at 1761 Glencaird St., is a three-storey building with 20 one-bedroom homes designed for independent seniors. Each home is adaptable, with three fully wheelchair-accessible units, supporting residents to age in place with dignity. To ensure year-round comfort, energy-efficient heat pumps have been installed throughout the building, providing consistent, climate-controlled living.

“Lumby council was happy to support the building of Cottonwood Place, providing 20 one-bedroom units for seniors and low-income residents,” said Kevin Acton, mayor of Lumby. “The village supported this project financially by reducing building permit fees by 50% and donated land that the apartment building sits on. The village is grateful for the B.C. government’s investment in housing.”

Conveniently located in the heart of the community, the homes are close to key amenities, including medical offices, the post office, the Old Age Pensioners Hall and the municipal hall.

Cottonwood Place is one of three seniors’ housing buildings in the area, managed by the Lumby & District Senior Citizens Housing Society (LDSCHS). It was created through a partnership between the Province (through BC Housing), Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), LDSCHS, Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and the Village of Lumby.

This development is part of a $19-billion housing investment by the B.C. government. Since 2017, the Province has nearly 92,000 homes completed or underway in B.C., including more than 760 homes in the north Okanagan region (including these homes). Through Budget 2025, the Province is also investing an additional $375 million over the next three years to enhance both the Rental Assistance Program (RAP) and the Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters (SAFER) program, which help low-income families and seniors afford their rents. This includes the $75 million committed through an agreement with the B.C. Green Party caucus to boost programs and deliver more supports for families and seniors.

Quotes:

Harwinder Sandhu, MLA for Vernon-Lumby – 

“Seniors are the heart of our community, and they deserve housing that allows them to stay close to family, friends and the services they rely on. Cottonwood Place reflects what’s possible when all levels of government work together to deliver accessible homes. This development helps ensure our seniors can continue to live independently and with dignity, right here in Lumby. Seniors built this province and country, and we need to do everything we can to support seniors. I am encouraged to see our government’s ongoing work to support such initiatives.”

Joe Deuling, president of the Lumby & District Senior Citizens Housing Society –

“The Lumby & District Senior Citizens Housing Society would like to thank all of our partners. Without all of the generous help we have received, this project never would have happened.”

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/

To learn more about the RAPs and SAFER improvements, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025HMA0022-000287

To see a map showing the location of all announced provincially funded housing projects in B.C., visit:  https://www.bchousing.org/projects-partners/Building-BC/homes-for-BC

A backgrounder follows.