POWELL RIVER - Families and seniors in Powell River now have access to 24 new affordable rental homes with doors opening at Cranberry Place.

"We know we need to help deliver the homes people need in Powell River, and that is why we are taking action to build affordable rental housing across British Columbia, in both urban and rural communities," said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing. "The opening of Cranberry Place is another milestone in our work to provide the homes low- and moderate-income families need, with much more to come. We're supporting vibrant and diverse communities by providing housing for a range of people at rents they can afford."

Located at 6647 Cranberry St., the building has a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom homes within two townhouse buildings and two apartment blocks. All residents have access to on-site laundry, a multipurpose community space with washroom facilities and a kitchenette, as well as an outdoor play area for children. The building is operated by Life Cycle Housing Society (LCHS).

"Life Cycle is thrilled about Cranberry Place completion," said Frances Laddret, director, LCHS. "From vision to reality was a long journey, but tenants' excitement about their brand-new homes has made it all worthwhile. This development represents a great team effort from Spani Developments, Mobius Architecture, Vesta Consultants, BC Housing, all those folks who worked at the site and our dedicated staff. A special thanks to the City of Powell River for its support and to the neighbours who endured many months of construction noise and disturbance."

The opening of Cranberry Place completes redevelopment of the eight aging single-family cottages that had previously been on the project site, effectively tripling the number of available homes. All previous tenants received relocation support from BC Housing into alternative local affordable housing prior to the start of construction and have been offered the opportunity to move into these new homes.

"By investing in buildings like Cranberry Place, we are helping families struggling today and making sure we have affordable homes for generations to come," said Nicholas Simons, MLA for Powell River-Sunshine Coast. "We will continue to open homes that are needed to grow strong communities, and ensure people have access to the safe, secure and affordable housing they deserve."

These homes are part of a $19-billion housing investment by the B.C. government. Since 2017, the Province has approximately 77,000 homes that have been delivered or are underway for people in B.C., including more than 560 homes on the Sunshine Coast.

Quick Facts:

• The Province invested approximately $2.5 million through the Building BC: Community Housing Fund toward Cranberry Place and is providing an annual operating funding of approximately $151,000.
• The Community Housing Fund is a $3.3-billion investment to build more than 20,000 affordable rental homes for people with moderate and low incomes.
• More than 9,000 of these homes are already open or underway throughout the province.

Learn More:

To learn about government's new Homes for People action plan, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023HOUS0019-000436

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