Today, BC Housing Management Commission, the City of Vancouver and the Provincial Rental Housing Corporation filed legal documents seeking an injunction to guarantee construction crews will be able to access the site of a temporary modular housing project at 7430 & 7460 Heather Street (650 West 57th Avenue).
 
Since Tuesday, November 28, multiple protestors have been on the site blocking entrance to Horizon North staff and trucks to begin construction on this urgently needed housing project. Infraction notices were issued to protestors on site who blocked the sidewalk, but the protestors continued to block entrances. At this point, the delays due to protests are affecting the anticipated move-in date for tenants. The temporary modular housing in Marpole will help 78 homeless residents into safe, warm homes and BC Housing and the City are taking action to ensure no further delays to this project.
 
While the City respects the residents’ right to protest, the temporary modular housing is urgently needed to address the immediate housing needs of Vancouver’s homeless residents while more permanent housing is being created, and the City does not want to see it delayed. 
 
As part of the development permit process the City hosted four community information sessions in the Marpole neighbourhood with 650 people attending. Meetings with community groups, including Marpole Business Improvement Association, Marpole Community Association and Parent Advisory Committees from the schools in the neighbourhood were also held. Feedback was gathered online and in person with approximately 300 comment cards and 400 emails received. The City understands the residents of the Marpole neighbourhood have concerns about the operation of the temporary modular housing and is committed to working with the community towards good stewardship of this site and the community in general.
 
On Monday, November 27, the Director of Planning for the City of Vancouver, Gil Kelley, announced the conditional approval of a development permit to build 78 new temporary modular homes at the Pearson-Dogwood site in Marpole at 7430 & 7460 Heather Street (650 West 57th Avenue).
 
For more on the project, please visit Vancouver.ca/temporarymodularhousing  
 
Media contact:

Rajvir Rao
BC Housing
604-456-8917

Corporate Communications
City of Vancouver
604-871-6336
media@vancouver.ca