Capital Region residents will soon have more options for affordable housing as 530 new rental units in five housing projects will be opening in the community.
At an announcement for a new residential building on Fleming Street in Esquimalt, Victoria-Swan Lake MLA Nina Krieger and director of real estate development for the Greater Victoria Housing Society James Munro applauded the new housing, which was part of a $19 billion housing investment by the B.C. government.
"We're thrilled to be here and have this building open. We had a really strong partner in the province through BC Housing [which provided] great funding and helped us get it off the ground," said Munro, also mentioning funding help from the Canada Mortgage & Housing Corporation and Vancity, who provided almost $400,000 before they partnered with the province.
Camas House, which is on Admirals Road offers 66 on-reserve homes for members of the Songhees Nation. Crosstown, at 584 Burnside Rd. East in Victoria, offers 100 affordable and 54 supportive homes. The Ferns, located on Cecilia Road in Victoria, offers 88 homes that will be operated by Pacifica Housing and 59 childcare spaces that will be managed by the Burnside Gorge Community Association. The Lions on Fleming Street in Esquimalt offers 137 units. The Woodlands at 3700 Cedar Hill Rd. in Saanich has 85 units.
The province, through BC Housing, provided about $62 million in grant funding to help deliver the 530 homes intended for people with low to moderate incomes, including Indigenous people, seniors, people with disabilities and people experiencing homelessness.
“I am a single mother of a teenager with disability, and I was looking for a new place that is not too far from Esquimalt High School where my child attends,” noted T.B., an anonymous resident of The Lions, in the release. “My apartment is beautiful and everything I could have asked for. I love that it is within walking distance to the high school for my child, and he does not have to rely on the bus, which has always made me a bit nervous.”
The Crosstown, The Lions and The Ferns are open, and people have started moving into their new homes. Camas House, The Woodlands and the 54 supportive homes at Crosstown are expected to open shortly, according to a news release.
