Construction is underway on a new affordable housing complex in the Village of Hazelton.
The building is located at 2720 Highway 62 and will be a three-storey building that will have 31 rental units, including six accessible units and seven adaptable units.
Adaptable housing is designed and built so that accessibility features can be added more easily and inexpensively after construction as needed.
Other planned amenities include a multipurpose room, indoor bike storage and laundry room.
It will include a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom homes.
The province, through BC Housing, is providing approximately $7 million to the project.
BC Housing will also provide approximately $575,000 in annual operating funding.
In a press release from the provincial government, it said the project will also help address housing affordability in the neighbouring Gitxsan Nation and Wet’suwet’en First Nation communities.
“These 31 units will change lives for the better. Seniors, people with disabilities, and members of the Gitxsan Nation and Wet’suwet’en First Nation will have their own homes at affordable rates in this beautiful community,” said Nathan Cullen, MLA for Stikine.
“I am proud of this partnership between our government and the local leadership to build these homes and to ease the burden on families and help make life better and more affordable.”
The building will have 21 rentals below market rates and 10 homes with rents set at affordable market rates.
“Finding affordable housing has long been a challenge for residents of Hazelton. The added housing capacity from this building will improve the lives of many individuals and families and ease the burden on our strained housing supply,” said Julie Maitland, mayor of Hazelton.
“Our hospital, schools and businesses will be more likely to hire and retain staff and those who need it will be more likely to find a safe and affordable place to live.”
The Wrinch Memorial Foundation will manage the new building.
“The serious shortage of housing in the Hazeltons has been apparent to us all for some time and we are delighted our earlier work with the Skeena Housing Coalition, JTW Consulting Ltd. and constant engagement with BC Housing has now resulted in the approval for the construction of an additional 31 homes,” said Jeff Holland, board chair, Wrinch Memorial Foundation.
So far the project is on schedule and should be completed by Feb. 2025 according to the foundation and BC Housing.
READ MORE: Supportive housing development project canned
@MariscaDekkema
marisca.bakker@interior-news.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.