The federal government used Saanich as a backdrop Tuesday to announce a $75-million investment to build hundreds of affordable housing units across B.C.
Funded through the National Housing Strategy, 500 of the units will be under the umbrella of the Women’s Transition Housing Fund.
The fund builds homes for women and single mothers fleeing relationships who are classified as low-income and face significant housing challenges.
The remaining 1,000 units will be built for low-income individuals who would not be able to afford market value rents.
The Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Jean-Yves Duclos was in Saanich to make the announcement.
“These are affordable and safe homes for women and girls and for people who would otherwise find themselves on the streets,” said Duclos. “Which is completely unacceptable for a country like Canada in 2019.”
There is no guarantee where the homes will be built in the province. It is now up to local governments to apply to the program for a piece of the $75-million pie.
Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps is confident that the region will see some of that money spent here.
“I anticipate that some of the money announced today will come into our region,” said Helps. “Our region has a great need for housing across the housing spectrum. I can’t imagine that there won’t be some money that flows into the Capital Regional District.”
The National Housing Strategy is an ambitious 10-year, $55-billion plan to build 100,000 housing units across the country.
