COURTENAY – Women and children in the Comox Valley leaving violence now have another safe place to regroup, recover and begin rebuilding their lives, with the opening of a new women’s housing project in Courtenay.

“Women and children need to know there are safe, compassionate places for them to turn to when they leave an abusive situation,” said Ronna-Rae Leonard, MLA for Courtenay-Comox.

“We are working with non-profit partners throughout the province to ensure women and children have access to homes where they can heal, free from violence.”

The project will provide eight units for up to 16 women and children leaving violence and is funded through the Building BC: Women’s Transition Fund. The fund, a $734-million investment over 10 years, will build 1,500 transition, second-stage and long-term housing spaces for women and children leaving violence, and will increase the number of women’s housing units in B.C. by 63%. More than 340 of these new homes have already been announced in 14 communities throughout the province.

The Comox Valley Transition Society will manage the day-to-day operations of the units. Since 1987, the society has offered women and their children a safe place to stay at Lilli House, a shelter for women escaping violence. The non-profit also offers counselling, support and a range of other services, including preventive education programs.

“Transition houses like Lilli House are just the first step of a very long and difficult journey for women and their children escaping violence,” said Heather Ney, executive director, Comox Valley Transition Society. “Having longer-term, affordable housing units available for when they are ready to leave the transition house is crucial in helping them to rebuild their lives. By opening these units in Courtenay, we are providing another level of support to women, children and families in need in the Comox Valley.”

Women will receive assistance accessing and receiving referrals to other services available through the Comox Valley Transition Society and in the community. This can include, but is not limited to, counselling for themselves and their children, assistance with job searches or exploring educational opportunities and parenting support.

“For women fleeing violence, access to housing will help them take the important step towards safety for themselves and their children so they can focus on healing and recovery,” said Melanie McCollum, acting mayor, City of Courtenay. “This facility will offer them the dignity, support and respect they so deeply deserve. We are very grateful to the Province and the Comox Valley Transition Society for providing this much-needed service for women and children in our community.”

Residents moved into their new homes in July 2019 and pay monthly rent ranging from $570 to $965.

Delivering affordable housing is a shared priority between government and the BC Green Party caucus and is part of the Confidence and Supply Agreement.

Quick Facts:

• Province provided $2.4 million in capital funding for the project and will provide annual operating funding of $53,000.
• The Building BC: Women’s Transition Housing Fund was launched in Budget 2018 as part of the Province’s 10-year housing plan. The housing plan outlines the largest investment in affordable housing in B.C.’s history – more than $7 billion over 10 years.
• Through this investment, more than 21,000 new homes are already completed, under construction or in the approvals process. This includes 81 homes in Courtenay:
  • Rapid Response to Homelessness: 46 homes with 24/7 support for people experiencing homelessness
  • Deepening Affordability Fund: 35 homes affordable, supportive homes for people who are at risk of homelessness, including Indigenous peoples.

Learn More:

A map showing the location of all announced projects is now available online: https://www.bchousing.org/homes-for-BC

To find out what the Province is doing to improve housing affordability, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/factsheets/bc-government-addressing-housing-affordability-challenges

A backgrounder follows.

Contacts:

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing Media Relations
778 698-9176

Andrea Coutts
BC Housing
778 452-2745

BACKGROUNDER

Province building new homes to meet full spectrum of housing needs

The B.C. government is working in partnership to build 114,000 affordable homes that cover the full spectrum of housing needs for British Columbians by 2028.

Budget 2018 included a $7-billion investment in the homes people need. As a result of that investment, more than 21,000 new homes are completed, under construction or in the approvals process for a range of people who are struggling to find a place to live, from people who are experiencing homelessness and seniors on fixed incomes, to middle-income families, students and individuals. To date, this includes:

Housing for middle-income earners (households with annual incomes between $50,000 and $150,000) - approximately 3,260 homes:

• Building BC: Community Housing Fund: approximately 1,500 rental homes for people with middle incomes.
• HousingHub: approximately 1,760 homes.

Housing for people with low to moderate incomes (including some where rents are based on 30% of household income and others with set rents, which are designed to be affordable; to moderate-income households, in most cases earning less than $70,000 annually) - approximately 9,200 homes:

• Building BC: Community Housing Fund: approximately 3,700 rental homes for people with low to moderate incomes.
• Affordable Rental Housing Program: nearly 1,600 homes for low to moderate incomes.
• Deepening Affordability Fund: more than 2,150 homes for low to moderate incomes.
• Building BC: Indigenous Housing Fund: more than 1,160 homes for Indigenous peoples, on- and off-reserve.
• Regional Housing First Program: more than 600 homes for people with low to moderate incomes.

Housing for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness (shelter-rate housing) - more than 2,900 homes:

• Rapid Response to Homelessness: 2,064 homes with 24/7 support.
• Building BC: Supportive Housing Fund: nearly 690 homes with 24/7 support.
• Regional Housing First Program: more than 170 homes for those ready to live independently with supports.

Housing for women and children leaving violence - approximately 340 homes:

• Building BC: Women's Transition Housing Fund: approximately 340 spaces of transition, second-stage and affordable rental housing for women and children leaving violence.

Housing for students - approximately 5,600 homes:

• BC Student Housing Loan Program: approximately 2,700 on-campus student housing units are underway or in the approvals process.
• Nearly 2,900 student housing units are also underway or in development through partnerships with post-secondary institutions.

Total: approximately 21,300 homes

Contacts:

Media Relations
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
778 698-9176

Andrea Coutts
BC Housing
778 452-2745