BC Government: New housing with supports coming to Lower Post

Press Release

Aug. 27, 2020

LOWER POST – Construction is underway on a new Indigenous housing project for women and children and for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness in Lower Post, thanks to a partnership between the Province, through BC Housing, and the Daylu Dena Council.

“Housing is the foundation on which people build their lives, and everyone deserves a safe and secure place to call home,” said Doug Donaldson, MLA for Stikine. “This new housing will provide an opportunity for Daylu Dena members living elsewhere to move back to their community and connect with their friends, family and culture.”

The development will provide 16 new homes in two separate, secure wings:

• six units of women’s transition housing for women and children in need of a safe home (including two short-term shelter units and four units of longer-term transition housing) in one wing; and
• 10 units of supportive housing for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness in the other.

All units will have a private washroom and mini kitchen. Shared amenities in each wing include a laundry room, commercial kitchen and a dining lounge area where residents can enjoy meals together. The building also has a medical room to provide on-site care for residents.

The Lower Post First Nation Housing Society will manage the building and provide residents with support services, such as daily meals, wellness supports and referrals to health services. In addition, residents will have access to teachings from Elders and programming that focuses on physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being. At least two staff members will be on site 24/7.

“Thank you, BC Housing, for this new affordable housing,” said Chief Harlan Schilling, Chief Councillor, Daylu Dena Council. “So many of us see the need for affordable housing that has been talked about for many years. BC Housing is living up to its mission of developing safe, permanently affordable housing for people in northern B.C. Thank you. It will help the community of Lower Post to meet our needs now and will be there for future generations.”

This project is located further north than any project BC Housing has ever built and is the first development in climate zone 8. The remote community has a population of approximately 170 people. Access to services is difficult. Due to the shortage of appropriate housing, some members of the Daylu Dena Nation are living elsewhere in the region and are interested in returning to the community when adequate housing is available.

The land on which the housing will be built is owned by The North West Company. It will be leased to BC Housing at $1 per year for 30 years and is renewable on the same terms at its expiry.

“North West is pleased to have been given the opportunity to play a role in this important project,” said Mike Beaulieu, vice -president of Canadian store operations for The North West Company. “Shortage of affordable housing in Indigenous communities is a problem we see across Canada. We are excited to be able to contribute the land that will enable construction of 16 new homes and look forward to seeing the positive outcomes this project will have on the community.”

Construction is anticipated to be complete in fall 2021.

Delivering affordable housing is a shared priority between the B.C. government and the BC Green Party caucus and is part of the Confidence and Supply Agreement.

Quick Facts:

• The Province is providing more than $5.1 million through the Women’s Transitional Housing Fund and approximately $6 million through the Supportive Housing Fund to the project, as well as an annual operating subsidy of approximately $408,000.
• North Point Construction was selected by the Province to manufacture these homes, supporting jobs and boosting the local economy.
• Iyon Kechika Contracting Ltd., which is owned by Daylu Dena Council, will provide some of the sub-contractor services.

Learn More:

For more information on how BC Housing is supporting British Columbians during the COVID-19 outbreak, visit: https://www.bchousing.org/COVID-19/

A map showing the location of all announced provincially funded housing projects in B.C. is available online: https://www.bchousing.org/homes-for-BC

To learn about the steps the Province is taking to tackle the housing crisis and deliver affordable homes for British Columbians, visit: https://workingforyou.gov.bc.ca/

A backgrounder follows.

Contacts:

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Media Relations
778 584-1255

BC Housing
Media Relations
[email protected]

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BACKGROUNDER

Province building new homes to meet full spectrum of housing needs

The B.C. government is working in partnership to build 114,000 affordable homes that cover the full spectrum of housing needs for British Columbians by 2028.

Budget 2018 included a $7-billion investment in the homes people need. As a result of that investment, more than 23,000 new homes are complete, under construction or in the approvals process for a range of people who are struggling to find a place to live, from people who are experiencing homelessness and seniors on fixed incomes, to middle-income families, students and individuals. As of Dec. 31, 2019, this includes:

Housing for people with middle incomes

The average annual household income qualifying for homes underway is under $99,000 per year:

• HousingHub: 2,802 homes

Housing for people with low to moderate incomes

This includes people residing in social housing (household incomes less than $65,000), as well as those living in affordable market rentals (households with annual incomes up to $74,000) – 9,837 homes:

Affordable market:

• Building BC: Community Housing Fund (30% of units in each project): 1,565 rental homes for people with low to moderate incomes
• Affordable Rental Housing Program: 1,615 homes for people with low to moderate incomes
• Deepening Affordability Fund: 1,976 homes for people with low to moderate incomes
• Regional Housing First Program: 907 homes for people with low to moderate incomes

Social housing or subsidized rents:

• Building BC: Community Housing Fund (50% of units in each project): 2,609 rental homes for people with low incomes
• Building BC: Indigenous Housing Fund: 1,165 homes for Indigenous peoples, on- and off-reserve

Housing for people with very low incomes

Rental housing for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, or for people with very low incomes (includes supportive housing and shelter-rate housing) – 4,795 homes:

• Rapid Response to Homelessness: 2,012 homes with 24/7 support
• Building BC: Supportive Housing Fund: 1,060 homes with 24/7 support
• Building BC: Women’s Transition Housing Fund: 679 spaces of transition, second-stage and affordable rental housing for women and children leaving violence
• Building BC: Community Housing Fund (20% of units in each project): 1,044 homes

Housing for students – 5,584 homes:

• BC Student Housing Loan Program: 2,699 on-campus student housing units are under construction, in development or in the approvals process
• 2,885 student housing units are also complete, under construction or in development through partnerships with post-secondary institutions

Total: 23,018 homes

Contacts:

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Media Relations
778 584-1255

BC Housing
Media Relations
[email protected]

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