Vancouver is adding more affordable housing to assist at-risk women and children.
Last week, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) announced an $11.37 million investment from the federal government to build the Women & Families Centre run by Union Gospel Mission.
Located at 671 East Hastings Street, the new Women & Families Centre is a 77,000-square-foot, seven-storey building offering 63 housing units with 135 beds primarily intended for low-income women, aimed at helping those dealing with mental health or addiction issues.
“Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home,” said Ahmed Hussen, minister of housing and diversity and inclusion. “Thanks to today’s announcement, low-income women, including women with children and women who are struggling with mental health or addiction issues in Vancouver now have access to affordable homes.”
Construction began in May 2019 and is expected to be completed during the next month. Once completed, Union Gospel Mission will provide tenants with 24/7 on-site support for women in drug and alcohol recovery, as well as trauma counselling and childcare services for the children of women in recovery.
“I’m most excited about being able to provide a culturally aware and trauma informed environment for women and children for up to a five-year continuum of care, where they can feel accepted, seen, known and enjoy relationships and support as they walk on this journey of becoming,” said Tara MacDonald, senior manager of Women’s Recovery & Housing, Union Gospel Mission.
The investment was made through the National Housing Co-investment Fund (NHCF), part of the Canada’s National Housing Strategy’s 10-year, $72 billion plan aimed at providing affordable housing.
The latest news follows CMHC announcements in August committing more than $200 million in low-cost loans to construct 427 units of rental housing in Vancouver.
Three low-cost loans totalling $127.35 million were earmarked to provide 254 new housing units in a six-storey mixed-use property located at 2109 East Hastings Street, as well as a pair of 15-storey buildings at 3600 and 3680 East Hastings Street.
An additional 173 units of rental housing are anticipated after CMHC committed an $88 million low-cost loan to aid construction at Lelem Village, located at 5380 University Boulevard, 2320 Acadia Road and 525 Shortcut Road, University Endowment Lands.
The three properties will include four-storey, five-storey and 12-storey buildings within walking distance of the University of British Columbia, the University Golf Course and Acadia Park.
