OLIVER - More than 40 new affordable rental homes are open in Oliver for families, seniors, Indigenous people and individual living with disabilities.

“With the opening of this building, more people in Oliver will have the security and peace of mind that comes with an affordable place to live,” said Roly Russell, MLA for Boundary-Similkameen. “This helps the whole community; more housing in the community has a cascading effect for locals who need an appropriate place to live, helps provide some stability for people to engage and be active participants in our local economy, and helps alleviate the uncertainty and stress for 46 more people and their families looking for a place to live without having to leave Oliver and our beautiful area. This is welcome and exciting news!”

Located at 5931 Airport St., the four-storey apartment building has 46 units, including 27 one-bedroom, 15 two-bedroom and four three-bedroom units. Monthly rents range from $420 to $990, depending on unit size and tenant income. The building is close to local amenities, including grocery stores, retail shops and outdoor recreation.

The Province, through BC Housing, invested approximately $4.9 million through the Building BC: Community Housing Fund for this project and will provide approximately $437,000 in annual operating funding. M’akola Housing Society provided the land for the project and will own and operate the building.

This project is part of B.C.’s 10-year, $7-billion housing plan. Since 2017, the Province has funded more than 36,000 affordable new homes that have been completed or are underway for people in B.C., including more than 470 homes in the Okanagan-Similkameen region.

Quotes:

Kevin Albers, CEO, M'akola Housing Society –

“M’akola is very excited to be serving the community of Oliver with the opening of our first Interior project, providing 46 safe and affordable homes. We know and understand the importance of affordable housing in the development of strong and sustainable communities and that its success is through committed partnerships and partners. Our thanks to Osoyoos Indian Band, BC Housing, Aboriginal Housing Management Association and the City of Oliver.”

Margaret Pfho, CEO, Aboriginal Housing Management Association –

“Affordable, safe, culturally supportive housing is not an option, it’s a necessity. We know that Indigenous Peoples continue to experience colonial oppression and marginalization in housing, and we have all been affected by the growing need in each of our own communities. These new homes will provide a place of belonging, healing and security for Indigenous families in Oliver, and we need to see more of this across B.C.”

Martin Johansen, mayor, Oliver –

“Diverse communities are shown time and time again to be the healthiest. Housing can be challenging to find in the Town of Oliver, especially for the people this 46-unit development aims to serve. Oliver celebrates the opening of these affordable homes on Airport Street that will serve individuals, seniors and families who need it."

Quick Facts:

• The Community Housing Fund is an investment of $1.9 billion to build more than 14,000 affordable rental homes for low- and moderate-income families and individuals over 10 years.
• More than 8,900 of these homes are already open, under construction or in development.

Learn More:

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/