The Ladysmith Resources Centre Association is receiving $3.6-million in provincial funding to build 36 affordable housing units in the community.
“Years of inaction on the B.C. housing crisis left families struggling to get by and unable to get ahead,” said Premier John Horgan on Tuesday.
“These new, affordable rental homes are an important step toward addressing the housing crisis and giving families in every part of the province a break from skyrocketing housing costs.”
A total of 42 communities will share in the $492-million earmarked for more than 4,900 new affordable mixed-income rental homes as part of the Building BC: Community Housing Fund.
RELATED: LRCA buys Anglican church for proposed affordable housing project
The Ladysmith Resource Centre Association (LRCA) purchased the former St. John the Evangelist Anglican church last spring with plans to create an affordable housing apartment complex on the site.
An open house was held in late summer to present plans for a four-storey building that will integrate families, seniors and persons with developmental disabilities all under one roof.
The 36 apartments will be divided among 10 studio units, 23 single bedroom units and three two bedroom units. The rectangular-shaped building will stretch west along Buller with the top three levels averaging over 7,300 sq-ft.
No other projects in the Cowichan Valley received funding.
In Nanaimo, Nanaimo Affordable Housing Society received $3.6 million to building 36 homes for families and seniors, Vancouver Island Mental Health received $2.3 million for 23 homes for people with mental health and addiction challenges and $6.2 million will go to Woodgrove Senior Citizens Housing for 62 homes for seniors.
The Province said projects receiving funding today were selected through a request for proposals, which was issued on April 18 and closed on Sept. 18, 2018. BC Housing will work with the societies to finalize the projects over the next few months.
More to come
