Canada supports affordable housing in Chilliwack

Chilliwack, British Columbia, July 28, 2022

Everyone deserves a safe and affordable home.

Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, and Mayor Ken Popove, City of Chilliwack, announced a federal investment of over $10 million through the National Housing Co-Investment Fund (NHCF) to support the creation of 18 new units for victims of gender-based violence including women and children in Chilliwack, BC.

Additionally, the City of Chilliwack is providing approximately $179,000 in municipal equity through offsite servicing upgrades.

Wilma’s Transition Society’s project, located at 5732 Vedder Road, consists of 18 affordable units, including 4 one-bedroom, 12 two-bedroom and 2 three-bedroom homes. This long-term, low-income housing is specifically dedicated to support women and children who are victims of gender-based violence.

Construction is expected to be complete fall of 2023.

Quotes:

“Everyone deserves a safe place they can turn to in difficult times. Our Government is providing support to those who need it most here in Chilliwack and across BC. Projects like this one by Wilma’s Transition Society, are helping women and children who are victims of gender-based violence with more than just providing safe and affordable places to live; they are providing a key to a better life for its residents. This is the National Housing Strategy at work.”
— The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion

“Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. Funding Wilma’s Transition Society in Chilliwack is an important step forward in creating more safe, appropriate, and affordable housing for women and children facing intimate partner/family violence. Together, we are creating healthy and sustainable communities through more safe and affordable housing for Canadians in all corners of the country. This is the National Housing Strategy hard at work.”
— The Honourable Marci Ien, Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Youth

“We are grateful for the work of the Government of Canada and the Government of BC in addressing urgent affordable housing needs in our community. The City of Chilliwack is happy to support this project by waiving $132,660 under the Development Cost Charges Waiver for Eligible Developments Bylaw and that Council waived permit fees in the amount of $47,144 in accordance with Council Policy C-15 Supportive Housing Assistance. Providing affordable housing for women and children is an important part of helping to end the cycle of poverty and we know this development is a step in that direction.”
— Mayor Ken Popove, City of Chilliwack

“We have seen such exciting growth within our community recently, however with that we have seen unprecedented times for so many through housing shortages and rising costs. Being able to aid women and their children through already challenging times is something we as an organization are honored to be able to provide, but to be able to soon offer long term, affordable housing, we are very grateful to be given this opportunity to further support our community. We are so thankful for our partnerships and the work of the Government of Canada through CMHC and the City of Chilliwack in being able to address the issues that these families face and bring this project to life. Soon this stable long term housing will give these families the ability to start over again once they are past transitional and second stage emergency housing to start their journey of independence and stability.”
— Kathleen Mosa, Executive Director, Wilma’s Transition Society

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.

Associated 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, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.

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 B.C. is available online at: https://www.bchousing.org/homes-for-BC.