Campbell River will soon see new permanent supportive homes for people experiencing homelessness in the community.
Through BC Housing, the province is partnering with the city to build 50 new homes at 580 Dogwood Street.
The project will provide homes for people who will be living at the former Rose Bowl Restaurant bridge housing starting in August, as well as others experiencing homelessness.
“These homes will give residents the dignity of having a safe and secure place of their own, with wraparound supports and services to help them build a better life,” said North Island MLA Claire Trevena.
“We worked closely with the city to find a location for a supportive housing project, and we are thrilled that we were able to come together so quickly to create these new homes.”
Once the supportive housing project is complete and the bridge housing residents have moved in, the province says BC Housing will consult with the community about redeveloping the Rose Bowl site into an affordable housing project.
READ MORE: Province buys Rose Bowl Restaurant for $985K to convert into bridge housing for homeless
“We have been working closely with BC Housing for a number of years to establish a fully managed facility like this, with services that will be key for people wanting to commit to stable housing and get the assistance that will make such a huge difference in their lives,” said Mayor Andy Adams.
“The city’s close partnership with BC Housing has already helped provide a range of much-needed housing options for people in our community.”
The Vancouver Island Mental Health Society will operate both the bridge housing and the supportive housing building when it’s completed.
Society staff will be onsite 24/7, providing guests with outreach services, such as daily living skills training and meal preparation, as well as referral to health services.
The province says approximately half of the people experiencing homelessness in Campbell River identify as Indigenous.
In order to ensure the development is culturally appropriate and welcoming, the Campbell River Urban Indigenous Housing Group helped with its design.
The project does not require rezoning and will be expedited through the development process in collaboration with the city.
Construction is expected to begin in the fall and residents are anticipated to move by December of this year.
