DELTA – Independent seniors and individuals living with intellectual disabilities will benefit from 130 below-market rental homes as part of a new development under construction in the community.

Called Evergreen Court, located at 4625 Evergreen Ln. is a partnership between the Government of Canada, through Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), the Province of BC, through BC Housing, the City of Delta, and Affordable Housing Societies. The homes include 38 accessible and 92 adaptable units for individuals who may have mobility challenges. The project will be owned and operated by the Affordable Housing Societies.

The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion and Member of Parliament for Delta, the Honourable Murray Rankin, Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Housing, the Honourable Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation and MLA for Delta North, Acting Mayor Dylan Kruger, City of Delta, and Stephen Bennett, CEO, Affordable Housing Societies made the announcement today.

The Government of Canada is contributing $34.7 million through the National Housing Co-Investment Fund (NHCF). The Province is contributing approximately $7.3 million from the Building BC: Community Housing Fund for the project. Affordable Housing Societies is contributing the land, valued at $12.4 million plus additional equity of $7.6 million and will develop, own and operate the project on their property near the Ladner Village core in the City of Delta. The City is contributing $790,000 through waiver fees and Metro Vancouver is waiving $458,000 in development cost charges.

The development will feature a common amenity space, parking, laundry, exterior gardens and landscaping. Construction is expected to be complete in winter 2024 and rental rates will be confirmed closer to completion.

Quotes:

The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion -

“Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. That is why our government is pleased to provide funding support to create of 130 safe, affordable and accessible rental housing to seniors and individuals with intellectual disabilities right here in Delta. By investing in affordable housing, we are creating communities that are safe, inclusive and welcoming to all. This is another example of our government’s National Housing Strategy at work.”  

The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion and Member of Parliament for Delta -

“This investment from the Government of Canada’s National Housing Co-Investment Fund is improving the quality of life for seniors and persons with disabilities and has contributed to the social well-being for all of Delta. When people have a secure and stable home, they gain the confidence they need to succeed and fulfil their potential.” 

The Honourable Murray Rankin, Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Housing -

“Evergreen Court will provide much needed affordable, safe homes for seniors and people living with intellectual disabilities, who are among the most vulnerable people in a tight housing market. Our government is proud to be working in partnership to open homes like these that make life more affordable for people in cities across B.C.”

The Honourable Ravi Kahlon, Member of the Legislative Assembly for North Delta and Minister of Jobs, Economic Revenue and Innovation -

“We know people in Delta need more options for quality, affordable housing for seniors and people living with intellectual abilities. Our government is proud to be working with the federal government, the City of Delta and local partners to take another step forward in addressing the lack of affordable housing in all areas, and to make a significant difference in the lives of people in Delta.” 

Acting Mayor Dylan Kruger, City of Delta - 

“Increasing housing options for Delta's seniors and individuals with varying abilities is critical in supporting our vulnerable communities. I want to thank the Delta Housing Be Mine Society, the Affordable Housing Societies, and all the levels of government and government agencies who worked together to ensure we prioritized the building of the Evergreen Court housing project. We look forward to working together to identify and support additional and inclusive housing options for seniors and individuals with varying abilities.”

Mike Hurley, Chair of Metro Vancouver Housing Committee -

“Metro Vancouver is pleased to contribute to this project and to be working collaboratively with the City of Delta, our member jurisdictions, and with the Province to facilitate solutions to our region’s critical housing needs and to accelerate non-market housing development. Projects like the Evergreen Lane Rental Apartment Buildings are possible when community partners and all orders of government work closely together.” 

 Stephen Bennett, CEO, Affordable Housing Societies -

“The Affordable Housing Societies is very pleased to be furthering its mission to ‘provide quality, affordable rental homes so that families and individuals can thrive’ through the provision of 130 new rental homes on Evergreen Lane in Ladner. These new homes are part of our Society’s goal to add 1400 new affordable rental homes to our portfolio by 2030. This incredible project has brought together partners from three levels of government, and when complete will deliver rental units that will be affordable for seniors and individuals with intellectual disabilities on a broad range of income levels. We are grateful for the incredible support we have received from the City of Delta, BC Housing, and CMHC, and we look forward to seeing individuals move into these new homes in late 2024.”

Quick facts:

• The National Housing Co-Investment Fund (NHCF) is a program under the National Housing Strategy (NHS) that gives priority to projects that help people who need it most, including women and children fleeing family violence, seniors, Indigenous Peoples, people living with disabilities, those with mental health or addiction issues, veterans, and young adults.
  • With a budget of $13.2 billion, the NHCF plans to:
    • Create up to 60,000 new homes
    • Repair up to 240,000 homes
    • Create or repair at least 4,000 shelter spaces for victims of family violence
    • Create at least 7,000 new homes for seniors
    • Create at least 2,400 new homes for people with developmental disabilities
• Budget 2022 proposes to advance $2.9 billion in funding under the NHCF to accelerate the creation of up to 4,300 new units and the repair of up to 17,800 units.
• The Government of Canada’s National Housing Strategy (NHS) is an ambitious, 10-year plan that will invest over $72 billion to give more Canadians a place to call home.
• This project is part of B.C.’s 10-year, $7-billion housing plan. Since 2017, the Province has funded more than 35,000 affordable new homes that have been completed or are underway for people in BC, including 367 homes in Delta
• The Province’s Community Housing Fund is a 10-year, $1.9 billion investment to build more than 14,000 affordable rental homes for people with moderate and low incomes.

Related links:

• As Canada's authority on housing, CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need, and offers unbiased housing research and advice to all levels of Canadian government, consumers and the housing industry. CMHC’s aim is that by 2030, everyone in Canada has a home they can afford and that meets their needs. For more information, please visit cmhc.ca.
• To find out more about the National Housing Strategy, visit: www.placetocallhome.ca.
• Check out the National Housing Strategy Housing Funding Initiatives Map to see affordable housing projects that have been developed across Canada. 
• 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/.
• A map showing the location of all announced provincially-funded housing projects in BC is available online at: https://www.bchousing.org/homes-for-BC.