New supportive housing units are coming to Victoria, Saanich and Central Saanich, with a total of 136 housing units between them.
The Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness (ACTHS) will operate one of the facilities, The House of Courage, at 865 Catherine St. It will offer 45 homes for Indigenous Peoples facing or at risk of homelessness. The centre will provide on-site access to addiction treatment and counselling, employment programs and cultural support.
The coalition says the building is designed to help people overcome trauma and turn their lives around.
“The whole premise is that people want to live what other people consider a normal life,” said John Powell, Chair ACTHS. “And so being able to be here and to experience good health and wellbeing means that work would be done to transition them out into semi-independent living into independent living altogether.”
Another site will be operated by Our Place Society. They announced a 52-room supportive housing site on Albina Street come this April.
A third site, with 39 homes, was also announced by the province Friday, slated to open in Central Saanich this Spring.
The project was funded with help from the province through BC Housing, and the federal Rapid Housing Initiative. Other contributions from the Capital Regional District also played part in the announcement. A total of $5.7 million came from the Building BC: Supportive Housing Fund, and the Capital Regional District provided $11.3 million
The projects are part of British Columbia’s 10-year, $7-billion housing plan.
CHEK News
