New Homes Coming For Indigenous People In B.C.

Indigenous people on and off reserve in B.C. will have access to approximately 1,600 new affordable rental homes through partnerships between the Province, through BC Housing, and Indigenous non-profit housing providers.

“Around 1,600 culturally appropriate homes will soon become places of comfort and stability for many Indigenous people throughout B.C. who face a greater need for affordable housing,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing.

“These additional homes are part of our ongoing reconciliation work to ensure that Indigenous people are provided the resources and services to thrive in the communities they call home. With collective support from partners, we are better able to deliver housing that meets people’s needs.”

A number of those homes are coming to Campbell River.

The second set of homes selected through the Building BC: Indigenous Housing Fund (IHF) includes 41 on- and off-reserve projects that will provide 1,662 affordable rental homes.

It includes 667 on-reserve homes for First Nations members and 995 off-reserve homes for Indigenous people.

In Campbell River, 16 new homes for the Homalco First Nation - owners of 100.7 The Raven,- 37 new homes for the We Wai Kai First Nation, and 45 homes in partnership with Métis Nation.

Regional Chief Terry Teegee of the BC Assembly of First Nations says as the first of its kind fund in Canada to provide provincial investments for on-reserve housing, the Province is leading by example on the collective effort needed to address the housing crisis, which he says disproportionately impacts First Nations in British Columbia.

The Indigenous Housing Fund is a $1.7-billion provincial program, administered by BC Housing, to support the government's target of delivering 3,500 homes for Indigenous families, elders, individuals and people with disabilities on and off reserve.

When the IHF was launched in 2018, B.C. became the first and only province in Canada to invest in First Nations’ housing on reserve, a federal jurisdiction.

With this latest project selection, more than 3,220 IHF homes are now open or underway throughout B.C.

More information about specific projects, including funding amounts and development timelines, will be made public as they are finalized.

It’s part of a $19-billion housing investment by the B.C. government. Since 2017, the Province says it has nearly 80,000 homes that have been delivered or are under construction.

To learn more, visit Government of British Columbia.