CFB Esquimalt land could be used for more housing, Eby tells Trudeau
B.C. Premier David Eby met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday and raised the idea of using federally-owned military land for housing.
The housing crisis has hit all parts of the province, including at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Esquimalt near Victoria, where around 700 military members are on waitlists for housing.
Even members who have secured housing through the military say more is needed.
Jordan Desroches, who lives on the base with her three kids, says space is limited.
"We took a downgrade in size to move here, to be in one of the houses," said Desroches.
"Because of [how long] the wait is, we'd probably still be on a waitlist," she said.
Eby brought up the issue Wednesday when he met with the prime minister. He pitched the idea of increasing housing development on the federally owned lands.
"There's a big military base at Esquimalt with a lot of land and opportunity to build housing for families," he said.
Eby noted that the difference in density between the base and the surrounding area, evening within just a few metres, is striking.
The premier suggested that improving housing density on the base would provide more homes for military members, which would in turn lighten the load in the housing market in the surrounding area, where many members end up living.
"Take pressure off of the broader community, in terms of commute as well as housing," said Eby.
Housing advocates support the idea, noting that many homes on the base are older style, single-family homes that are very far apart.
Desroches says she would welcome greater density.
"A lot of the houses have a lot of property as well, which is unnecessary," she said. "We have huge yards."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
2 teens charged in Halifax homicide: police
Two teenagers have been charged with second-degree murder in connection to an alleged homicide near the Halifax Shopping Centre earlier this week.
'Deep ignorance': Calls for Manitoba trustee to resign sparked after comments about Indigenous people and reconciliation
A rural Manitoba school trustee is facing calls to resign over comments he made about Indigenous people and residential schools earlier this week.
ByteDance prefers TikTok shutdown in U.S. if legal options fail, Reuters sources say
TikTok owner ByteDance would prefer to shut down its loss-making app rather than sell it if the Chinese company exhausts all legal options to fight legislation to ban the platform from app stores in the U.S., four sources said.
12-year-old hippo in Japan raised as a male discovered to be a female
When Gen-chan arrived at a zoo in Japan in 2017, no one questioned whether the then-five-year-old hippopotamus was a boy. Seven years later, zoo staff made a surprising discovery: Gen-chan, now 12, was female.
Here's why Harvey Weinstein's New York rape conviction was tossed and what happens next
Here's what you need to know about why movie mogul Harvey Weinstein's rape conviction was thrown out and what happens next.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
Legendary hockey broadcaster Bob Cole dies at 90: CBC
Bob Cole, a welcome voice for Canadian hockey fans for a half-century, has died at the age of 90. Cole died Wednesday night in St. John's, N.L., surrounded by his family, his daughter, Megan Cole, told the CBC.