Province partners with Columbia Basin Trust for new affordable housing

People struggling to find a place to live in the Columbia Basin region will have access to new affordable rental housing.

An affordable housing development in the Elk Valley that was built in recent years, CBT looking to expand program. — Photo courtesy Kootenay Business

VICTORIA - People struggling to find an affordable place to live in the Columbia Basin region will have access to new affordable rental housing, thanks to a partnership announced today between the B.C. government and the Columbia Basin Trust.

This new partnership will create a variety of new affordable housing options that address community priorities around the region, such as rental units for seniors, at-risk youth and service workers.

"I know British Columbians are frustrated with the lack of affordable housing options throughout the province," said Selina Robinson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. "Providing more affordable housing around B.C. is our government's top priority and we are thrilled to partner with the Columbia Basin Trust to make sure much-needed housing gets built for the people who need it most."

The Province and the trust will each provide $14 million over the next three years with a target to create 225 affordable rental housing units throughout the region.

"I have seen first-hand the struggle for people in the basin who have been waiting for too long to find suitable housing," said Katrine Conroy, Minister of Children and Family Development and Minister Responsible for the Columbia Basin Trust. "Housing is the foundation for the development of healthy families and this partnership with the trust is a good start to delivering the safe and affordable homes that people in the region need."

Projects will be approved on a community-by-community basis and will address individual community affordable-housing needs.

"Basin residents and communities told us affordable housing was a priority, and we're excited to bring more resources into the region to address immediate housing needs in our communities," said Johnny Strilaeff, president and CEO, Columbia Basin Trust. "We have helped create over 400 new affordable housing units in the past few years, many in partnership with BC Housing, and we are pleased to develop even more."

The trust and BC Housing will co-ordinate project development to leverage existing funding in the Columbia Basin and create new affordable housing units that will address varying community needs.

An expression of interest to communities for projects will be issued this month.

Learn More:

The B.C. government has set a target to create 114,000 new units of affordable housing throughout B.C. in partnership with local governments, the federal government, First Nations and Indigenous organizations and the private and non-profit housing sectors. To find out what the Province is doing to improve housing affordability, please visit: news.gov.bc.ca/factsheets/bc-government-addressing-housing-affordability-challenges

For more information about the Columbia Basin Trust's work: ourtrust.org/housing