VANCOUVER, BC, July 19,
2024 /CNW/ - Young people experiencing or at risk of
homelessness in Vancouver now have
access to affordable housing units and additional support services
as the final phase of Covenant House Vancouver's expansion is now
complete.
Phase 3 of Covenant House Vancouver, located at 326 West Pender
Street, adds 44 new supportive homes for young people aged 16-24 in
the community. The opening of this building marks the final step in
a three-phase construction and development project which offers a
total of 152 new or renovated housing and shelter spaces to at-risk
youth in the community.
The four-storey building is the result of partnership between
the federal and provincial governments, the City of Vancouver and Covenant House
Vancouver. Covenant House operates the building and provides youth
with on-site services including life-skills training, education and
employment opportunities, case management services, and access to
clinical supports through their Rights of Passage (ROP)
program.
The main floor has a range of shared spaces, such as a teaching
kitchen to teach residents life skills, lounge, meeting rooms, and
laundry area on each floor. Residents also have access to a
community courtyard with a garden and barbeque, bike share program,
fitness room, and access to an Indigenous medicine cabinet. All
units include with a bathroom and kitchenette. Residents are also
provided with supplies they may need – such as kitchenware – when
they move in.
Funding provided for this project is as follows:
- $4.2 million from the federal
government, including $1.9 million
through the Rapid Housing Initiative, and $2.3 million from the Reaching Home Canada Grant
towards the conversion of 19 shelter units to transitional housing
units, and $10,000 from the Canada
Accessibility Grant
- The Province, through BC Housing, has provided $4.5 million in capital funding through the
Shovel Ready Housing program
- The City of Vancouver has
provided the land, which has been leased to Covenant House for a
nominal fee
- Covenant House Vancouver has provided $1.3 million cash equity
- An anonymous donor provided $1
million in grant funding
Quotes:
"Covenant House has a solid history of helping at-risk youth In
Vancouver. I'm pleased to see the final phase of this project open
its doors so they can continue the important work of serving this
community. Young people in Vancouver should always have a safe place to
call home and somewhere to access support. This is the National
Housing Strategy at work."– The Honourable Hedy Fry, Member of
Parliament on behalf of The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister
of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
"We want to protect young people experiencing or at risk of
homelessness in BC by providing them with safe, stable and
supportive shelter and housing options, a main objective in our
Belonging in BC plan. Covenant House Vancouver gives young people
hope, by giving them a safe place to sleep, access to services to
find employment, life skills training and clinical supports –
setting them up to have a successful future here."– Ravi Kahlon,
BC Minister of Housing
"Young people need to feel safe, so they focus on their
goals. The final phase of Covenant House Vancouver's
expansion, paired with the 28 beds at the new Sanctuary Program,
provides vital supports for at risk youth and life-changing
programs for young people with significant addiction and
mental-health concerns. These programs will help hundreds of young
people who are facing serious challenges get the support they
need." –Jennifer Whiteside, BC Minister of Mental Health and
Addictions
"No young person should have to experience life on the street.
Unfortunately, they are not immune to the housing insecurity
challenges we are seeing in B.C. communities and across
Canada. Our government is taking
steps to provide safe, indoor spaces for vulnerable young people so
we can provide a path out of homelessness. The 152 new spaces are a
result of years of work between the Province, the federal
government, Covenant House, and the City
of Vancouver."– Brenda
Bailey, Member of the Legislature for Vancouver-False
Creek
"We envision Vancouver as a
city where everyone, especially our youth, can find stability and a
place they can call home. We are pleased to work with our partners
on this important project and provide youth experiencing or at risk
of homelessness in Vancouver with
safe and affordable housing." – Ken
Sim, Mayor, City of
Vancouver
"This partnership is unlocking the doors to endless
possibilities and hope for a brighter future. Our developmentally
appropriate housing will equip young people with the skills they
need and support they deserve as they transition to adulthood.
Rooted in best practice, our homes let young people know we see
them, they matter, and they are worth it." – Chelsea Minhas, Chief Program and Impact
Officer, Covenant House Vancouver
Quick facts:
- Canada's National Housing
Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year, $82-plus
billion plan that will give more Canadians a place to call home.
- NHS is built on strong partnerships between the federal,
provincial, and territorial governments, and continuous engagement
with others, including municipalities, Indigenous governments and
organizations, and the social and private housing sectors. This
includes consultations with Canadians from all walks of life, and
people with lived experience of housing need.
- All NHS investments delivered by the federal, provincial, and
territorial governments will respect the key principles of NHS that
support partnerships, people, and communities.
- With its third phase, launched in 2022, the Rapid Housing
Initiative once again exceeded targets. It is expected that over
5,200 new homes will be created, of which almost half will be for
women and one third will be for Indigenous Peoples.
- The total number of units created with the support of the three
rounds of the Rapid Housing Initiative is expected to be over
15,500.
- The RHI takes a human rights-based approach to housing, serving
people experiencing or at risk of homelessness and other vulnerable
people under the NHS, including women and children fleeing domestic
violence, seniors, young adults, Indigenous Peoples, people with
disabilities, people experiencing mental health or addiction
issues, veterans, 2SLGBTQI+ individuals, racialized groups, and
recent immigrants or refugees.
- The Rights of Passage program (ROP) provides youth 16 -24 with
safe, affordable transitional housing, in their own studio-style
apartment along with guidance, structure, and support, while they
prepare to transition to the community.
- The Rights of Passage program's unique model provides youth
with access to individualized case planning, life skills
programming, recreational opportunities, and employment and
educational support as they move towards independence.
- Once a youth is ready to transition from the Rights of Passage
program, the program fees they paid throughout their stay are
returned to them, providing them with a nest egg as they begin
their journey to independence in the community.
Additional Information:
- Visit Canada.ca/housing for the most requested Government of
Canada housing information.
- CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and
financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need,
and offers unbiased housing research and advice to all levels of
Canadian government, consumers and the housing industry. CMHC's aim
is that everyone in Canada has a
home they can afford and that meets their needs. For more
information, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and
Facebook.
- To find out more about the National Housing Strategy, please
visit www.placetocallhome.ca.To learn more about government's new
Homes for People action plan, visit:
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023HOUS0019-000436
- To learn about the steps the Province is taking to tackle the
housing crisis and deliver affordable homes for British Columbians,
visit: https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/housing/
- The Province is making a historic $19-billion housing investment to deliver more
homes for people in BC Since 2017, the Province has nearly 80,000
homes that are delivered or underway, including nearly 8,500 homes
in Vancouver.
- Covenant House Vancouver was established in 1997 with the
mission to provide care, support, and hope to young people facing
homelessness and survivors of human trafficking.
- Each year, Covenant House Vancouver supports thousands of youth
aged 16-24 by providing safe housing, meals, hygiene supplies,
clothing, mental health and substance-use services, educational
support, job placement, health care, and family reconnection, all
within a holistic and inclusive framework that addresses their
physical, emotional, and psychological needs.
Learn more about Covenant House and watch the video here
SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)