Image: Mike Vanden Bosch / Pattison Media / Scott Gaglardi, executive director at Ruth and Naomi's, delivers opening remarks at the Interchange, a supportive housing complex on Yale Road, during Monday morning's news conference. The B.C. government announced that construction on a new 43-unit modular housing at 45466 Yale Rd. is expected to begin this summer and be complete by fall 2024, and is part of a plan to provide up to 73 housing units for unhoused residents in Chilliwack. Also pictured during Monday's news conference are Mayor Ken Popove (left) and Chilliwack MLAs Kelli Paddon and Dan Coulter. 

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Provincial housing plan

B.C. govt. announces 73 more housing units for unhoused, homeless residents of Chilliwack

Apr 15, 2024 | 10:30 AM

CHILLIWACK — The B.C. government announced Monday morning (Apr. 15) that 73 new temporary housing units will provide shelter to unhoused residents in Chilliwack.

According to a statement from the provincial government, the B.C. government says the Homeless Encampment Action Response Temporary Housing program, or HEARTH, will aim to get people living in shelters or on the streets into temporary housing.

“Through our HEARTH program, we are quickly developing these 73 units to move people into housing from shelters and free up indoor spaces in the community for more people sheltering outdoors,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing. “Through our Belonging in BC plan, it is our priority to connect people seeking shelter with housing options and supports that help them stabilize and transition to more secure housing.”

The government says work is progressing towards the completion of 30 new shelter beds at the Chilliwack Wellness Centre at 45951 Trethewey Ave. These additional spaces are expected to be operational in the coming weeks.

In addition, construction on the new 43-unit modular housing at 45466 Yale Rd. is expected to begin this summer and be complete by fall 2024.

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“Access to housing and supports is life-changing for many people, especially those experiencing homelessness,” said Dan Coulter, MLA for Chilliwack. “That is why these 73 temporary housing units are important because we are providing people with warm, safe spaces and connections to essential services that they need to move forward in their lives. When vulnerable people are taken care of, the community benefits as a whole.”

The 30-bed shelter in the wellness centre will be operated by Lookout Housing and Health Society and offer such on-site services as laundry, washrooms, shower facilities, daily meals and snacks. A resource centre will provide residents with referrals, case planning, medication management, life-skills training and activities.

The site will operate for three years while BC Housing and the City of Chilliwack pursue permanent housing solutions. The wellness centre already functions as a daytime drop-in centre for anyone seeking a safe and warm space, and a place to connect with social supports and resources.

The self-contained modular units at 45466 Yale Rd., located on the same site as the Travelodge Hotel, will be prioritized for older adults living in shelters or experiencing homelessness. This interim housing will be built on an underutilized parking lot of the hotel, which the Province, through BC Housing’s Provincial Rental Housing Corporation, bought in 2021 for use as supportive housing.

Ruth and Naomi’s Mission, operators of the hotel, will also operate the HEARTH site. Residents will have access to daily meals, a common dining area, laundry, washroom and shower facilities, and a space for community programming.

“Community partners are so important in the delivery of these housing supports and services,” said Kelli Paddon, MLA for Chilliwack-Kent. “When people work together to address homelessness challenges, we increase safety and security, and everyone benefits from a more supportive and inclusive community. With these temporary housing units, we’ll help bring more people indoors while providing them the supports they need.”

The temporary units will increase shelter options available to people experiencing or at risk of homelessness in the community, while the Province, through BC Housing, and community partners work to bring other temporary and permanent supportive housing to Chilliwack.

These two projects are part of a $19-billion housing investment by the B.C. government. Since 2017, the province states it has facilitated nearly 78,000 homes that have been delivered or are underway, including more than 470 homes in Chilliwack.