87 new affordable homes open in Parksville

A new affordable housing development in Parksville has opened providing 87 new affordable rental homes for families, seniors, veterans, and people living with disabilities.

Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, Taleeb Noormohamed, Member of Parliament for Vancouver Granville, the Honourable Ravi Kahlon, BC’s Minister of Housing, Adam Walker, Member of Legislative Assembly for Parksville - Qualicum, along with Doug O’Brien, Mayor of Parksville, and Andrea Blakeman, CEO of Ballenas Housing Society, announced a combined investment of more than $30 million that will fund 87 new homes for people with low-to-moderate incomes in Parksville. Construction is complete and the residents have started moving into their new homes.

Located at 360 Moilliet St., the newly opened building has eight townhomes and 79 apartments. The townhomes each have three bedrooms and the apartments are a mix of one-bedroom, one-bedroom plus den and two-bedroom units. Ballenas Housing Society, formerly known as Nanaimo Affordable Housing Society, owns and operates the building and will have an office on-site to support residents. The development is located close to downtown Parksville within walking distance of grocery stores, parks, health care services and schools.

Most residents will pay rent geared to income, where rent is 30 per cent of income. This includes 17 units for residents with very low incomes, such as those receiving income or disability assistance. The remainder of units will be at market rates, which start at $1,360 for a one-bedroom apartment unit, $1,487 for a one-bedroom plus den, $1,742 for a two-bedroom and $2,422 for a three-bedroom townhome.

Funding provided for this project is as follows:

• $19.8 million from the federal government, through the National Housing Co-Investment Fund
• $9.5 million from the provincial government, from BC Housing through the Building BC: Community Housing Fund and approximately $582,000 in annual operational funding
• $725,000 in waived fees from the City of Parksville and the Regional District of Nanaimo

Quotes:

“Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. The Government of Canada’s investment of nearly $20 million through the National Housing Co-Investment fund will ensure that residents in Parksville have access to safe, affordable housing. Through partnerships with all levels of government including the Province of British Columbia and the city of Parksville more families, seniors and persons with disabilities are able to stay in the community of their choice. This is the National Housing Strategy at work.”

“This investment from the Government of Canada’s National Housing Co-investment Fund is improving the economic and social well-being of the residents who have moved into these new homes and is making Parksville a better place to live. When people have a secure and stable home, they gain the confidence they need to succeed.”

“This development will be life-changing for the people who will call it home, giving them a secure, affordable place to call their own. I want to thank the Ballenas Housing Society and our many project partners working with us to provide more people with the option to stay in Parksville, close to the people they care for.”

“Affordable and accessible housing is life-changing for people struggling to get by. More people receiving income or disability assistance will have a place to call home with this beautiful and dignified new affordable housing in Parksville.”

“These homes are the first provincially subsidized rental homes to be built in Parksville in many years,” said. “Thanks to the combined efforts of government and community partners, they will provide affordable options for a community with a historically low vacancy rate. This is indeed a welcome addition to the community, and we look forward to more developments like it in the future.”

“I wish to express my gratitude to everyone involved and, in particular, to Ballenas Housing Society, for creating a well-designed purpose-built affordable housing project in Parksville. These new homes provide quality housing for a variety of families while also benefiting returning Parksville residents unable to afford housing until now. Through collaboration, we look forward to continuing our strategy to address the housing crisis by developing future projects.”

“Ballenas Housing Society is thrilled to open its first building in the Oceanside area. We are grateful for the support we received from the City of Parksville, Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, BC Housing, the Regional District of Nanaimo and community members. It makes a significant difference when many layers of support come together from all levels of government to the local community. We look forward to future projects like this one in Parksville.”

Quick facts:

• The National Housing Co-Investment Fund (NHCF) is a $13.2 billion 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 with disabilities, those with mental health or addiction issues, veterans, and young adults.
  • Budget 2022 advanced $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.
• Canada's National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year, $82-plus billion plan that will give more Canadians a place to call home.
  • NHS is built on strong partnerships between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments, and continuous engagement with others, including municipalities, Indigenous governments and organizations, and the social and private housing sectors. This includes consultations with Canadians from all walks of life, and people with lived experience of housing need.
  • All NHS investments delivered by the federal, provincial, and territorial governments will respect the key principles of NHS that support partnerships, people, and communities.
    
• To learn more about the BC 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://workingforyou.gov.bc.ca/
• A map showing the location of all announced provincially funded housing projects in B.C. is available online: https://www.bchousing.org/homes-for-BC

Additional information:

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, please visit www.placetocallhome.ca.

A map showing the location of all announced provincially funded housing projects in B.C. is available online: https://www.bchousing.org/homes-for-BC.

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/.

For more information about Government of Canada housing initiatives: Housing Canada.

For information on this release:

Shiraz Keushgerian
Office of the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion
shiraz.keushgerian@infc.gc.ca

Media Relations 
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation 
media@cmhc-schl.gc.ca 

BC Housing
Media Relations
media@bchousing.org