Women, gender-diverse people and their children in Courtenay will benefit from a newly opened building with 48 lower-cost rental units, the Ministry of Housing said.
“This new housing is going to be an incredible addition to our community, and will give the women and children who will be living here an affordable, stable, safe place to call home,” said Courtenay Mayor Bob Wells. “Everyone who has been involved with this project from start to finish should feel very proud of the positive legacy they’ve helped build here.”
The project was completed with a $16-million grant from B.C. Housing. The Comox Valley Transition Society will own and operate the building, where residents will include seniors, Indigenous people and people with disabilities.
Most are anticipated to be people transitioning from short-term housing or transitional housing for women leaving violence, and some units will be available to people in recovery programs or who are recovering from trauma.
The building’s location is not being made public because of the gender-based violence some tenants have experienced.
Rents will be about 20 per cent below average rents in the private market. There are 16 studio units, 21 one-bedroom units (five of them accessible), eight two-bedroom units and three three-bedroom units.
“Housing continues to be a barrier to safety for women and children,” said Comox Valley Transition Society executive director Heather Ney. “CVTS is proud to have worked in partnership with the development team at B.C. Housing to see the goal of additional affordable and long-term housing become a reality.
Minister of Housing Ravi Kahlon said the new units “will be a catalyst for change for women and their children in need of affordable housing in the community.”
The building is near parks, schools and stores, and includes parking for motor vehicles and bicycles.
