Image: M. Vanden Bosch / PML

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Paramount Project

New Paramount building in downtown Chilliwack set for early 2024 completion

Jul 2, 2022 | 12:47 PM

CHILLIWACK – The largest project in the nearly 94-year history of Chilliwack Community Services is well on its way towards a completion date in early 2024.

Executive Director Diane Janzen shared the good news surrounding the Paramount building’s steady progress and other upbeat developments at its annual general meeting Wednesday night on Zoom.

“One of the key aspects of our operation is providing affordable housing,” Janzen said. “It is the number one social issue that is in play at the moment. I know we all see this in terms of rent and affordability.”

Image Credit: Chilliwack Community Services

To that end, the six-storey Paramount building, located in the 46100 block of Yale Road in downtown Chilliwack, will provide 58 units of affordable housing for seniors and eight units to young adults, some of whom might be aging out of care.

Fire Response

Mission firefighters respond to over 100 fire calls in March

1h ago

Motorcycle Accident

Highway Patrol officer rear-ended by another during motorcycle training in Surrey

3h ago

Most Wanted

CRIME STOPPERS: Most Wanted - Week of April 5, 2026

3h ago

Chilliwack, the second-fastest growing community in Canada behind Kelowna, has over 113,000 residents, according to Statistics Canada. As the city has grown over 10 per cent the past five years, so has the need to house vulnerable populations.

Recognizing this pressing need, Janzen thanked the various partners who have been instrumental in this project, including BC Housing, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, CPA Consultations, Station One Architects, Gerry Enns Construction, the City of Chilliwack, and Chilliwack Economic Partners Corporation, or CEPCO. The City and CEPCO donated land and waived significant permitting fees.

“Without these partnerships, we wouldn’t be able to do what we’re doing,” Janzen said.

CCS will move its operations into the first two floors of the building, which are concrete, and the remaining four floors constructed of wood are residential.

“The building is going up very quickly,” Janzen said.

CCS board chair Luke Zacharias, a founding partner at Zacharias Vickers LLP law firm, said the project represents years of planning and dreaming.

“It’s very exciting,” Zacharias said during the meeting. “We had the groundbreaking a few months ago. We’ve been working on this for about seven to eight years. It’s been a long-term project. We’ll move our entire operation there to the first two floors. It’s really exciting to see this come to fruition. That’s the biggest project of ours on the go right now.”

But the job is far from done. Over the next year, CCS will embark on a capital campaign to raise funding, Zacharias said. The project has received significant government funding, but more is needed.

“We do require further capital to complete this project,” Zacharias said. “You will probably hear about this in the community.”

Zacharias, who was re-elected to the board for a sixth two-year term in 2021, believes CCS is well-positioned to serve its diverse client base from youth services to immigrant services and beyond.

“Our organization is in excellent health financially and program-wise,” Zacharias said. “We’re thankful for Diane’s leadership.”

Nearly one out of every 10 Chilliwack residents was served by Chilliwack Community Services last year, including youth services, family services, family law advocacy, job training and development, and senior services. Of note, over 13,000 meals were delivered to local seniors through CCS.

In 2021, 277 volunteers donated 5,819 hours of service through CCS.

“I’m so incredibly grateful to work with 107 dedicated staff, and I’m very grateful to the 13-member board of directors that serves on three different committees,” Janzen said. “I come to you today with an incredible sense of gratitude as the community, staff and volunteers stood behind us during some of the most challenging times for our community.”