Chilliwack will be adding 23 affordable rental homes, paid for by the provincial government’s Building BC: Community Housing Fund.
The homes will be constructed in partnership with the Tzeachten First Nation and will be earmarked for Indigenous families with low to moderate incomes.
Work is expected to start in March of 2021.
“People have struggled to find affordable housing in the Chilliwack region for too long, and we know that Indigenous people have also been disproportionally affected by our housing crisis,” said Kelli Paddon, MLA for Chilliwack-Kent. “By partnering with the Tzeachten First Nation, our government is working to make sure affordable housing is there for those who need it most.”
Chilliwack’s is one of 16 projects totaling 634 homes announced Wednesday by the Ministry of Attorney General and Responsible for Housing.
“Ever since the former BC Liberal government refused to take action on B.C.’s housing crisis, we have seen more people move to my community in search of secure, affordable housing,” said Dan Coulter, MLA for Chilliwack. “I’m proud to be part of a government that is taking strong steps to tackle the housing crisis and deliver affordable housing where people need it. Everyone deserves a safe place to call home and I know these homes will improve the lives of people in my community and the community as a whole.”
Other communities receiving funding include Burnaby, Port Coquitlam, D’Arcy, Nanaimo, Vernon, Clearwater, Elkford, Parksville, Surrey, Richmond, Tofino and Vancouver.
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“Every new home announced today will make a difference in the lives of British Columbians for generations to come, because homes in the community housing sector remain affordable forever,” said Jill Atkey, CEO of the BC Non-Profit Housing Association. “While we have much more to do, these homes add to a strong foundation on which to keep building.”
The Community Housing Fund is part of the province’s 10-year, $7-billion housing plan. In two and a half years, more than 5,700 homes have been completed, are under construction or are in development in more than 45 communities.
“These projects will mean new, affordable homes for a wide range of people – from seniors on fixed incomes to growing families and people with disabilities,” said David Eby, Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Housing. “There’s a lot more to do, and I look forward to working with the non-profit housing sector and all our partners to continue delivering the homes people need.”
For information about the Building BC: Community Housing Fund visit bchousing.org/CHF
A map showing the location of all announced provincially funded housing projects in B.C. can be found at bchousing.org/homes-for-BC
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