By Rich Coleman
Minister of Natural Gas Development
Minister Responsible for Housing

Our government remains committed to providing supportive housing and shelter for those who need it most, and our record speaks to the importance we place on housing.

Since 2001, we have made a $4.4-billion investment that includes funding for shelters, outreach and supportive housing; transitional housing for women and children leaving abusive relationships; supportive housing for individuals suffering from addictions and mental health challenges; and rent assistance for low-income families.

Provincewide, we have added more than 21,000 new units of affordable housing. Of all the communities in B.C., none has come close to receiving the same level of support as Metro Vancouver, where we have developed or preserved nearly 11,400 units of affordable housing since 2001.

Throughout the province, we have more than doubled the number of provincially subsidized apartments and shelter spaces for the homeless and those at risk of homelessness to 11,000. We’ve also seen the number of permanent year-round shelter beds nearly double, to more than 1,800 beds - compared to just 880 in 2001.

Success in housing isn’t just about getting people off the street. It’s also about helping to provide a good home for families. More than 19,000 B.C. families live in provincially subsidized housing. We also introduced the Rental Assistance Program, which helps more than 10,000 families on a monthly basis with the cost of private market rental housing.

We are also aware that housing is a challenge for many seniors. To help seniors best meet their housing needs, the Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters program offers cash assistance to eligible B.C. seniors who pay rent for their home. More than 17,000 seniors’ households receive assistance through this program.

We recognize that affording to own a home can be challenging in B.C., especially in Vancouver. That’s an issue that we are studying, and we are looking at measures that might alleviate some of those challenges.

As well as responsibility for Natural Gas Development, my ministry has 134 dedicated housing staff, as well as another 700 in our Crown corporation, BC Housing - all working hard to address the housing issues that B.C. faces.

Our work on housing is not driven by politics. Opposition MLA Jenny Kwan recently recalled the “stacks and stacks of letters and cases” that she would routinely send to me and graciously acknowledged the efforts I made to assist. The reason she brought those cases to me was the same reason I did my best to help - because, in her words, “it was for the people that we serve.”

Last year, we updated our housing strategy, Housing Matters BC, with more emphasis on affordability for low-income families and seniors, confidence for renters, homeowners and landlords, and safe, healthy communities. Housing Matters remains the most progressive housing strategy in Canada, and I can say with confidence that it has transformed social housing in B.C.

The results we’ve seen reflect not only the money invested but also the hard work, dedication and innovation of this ministry’s Housing division, which for all intents and purposes functions as a strong and effective ministry in its own right.

Housing Matters is what we believe, and addressing B.C.’s housing challenges continues to be a priority for this government.