The $18.5 million Comfort Inn will be used short-term to house homeless people living in street encampments, and rehire hotel workers amidst the pandemic.
B.C. government buys Victoria hotel to house homeless and reemploy staff
The government of British Columbia provided housing for more than 200 homeless Canadians while simultaneously bringing economic support to the struggling hotel sector amidst the COVID-19 crisis. Last month, provincial legislators purchased the Comfort Inn Hotel in Victoria for $18.5 million as a means of sheltering homeless people living in two street encampments during the pandemic. In addition to the hotel being equipped with 65 rooms for temporary accommodations, the province is also rehiring laid-off hotel workers to help manage the facility
The long-term use of the site will be determined through engagement with the community
The Province of British Columbia has purchased the Comfort Inn Hotel, located at 3020 Blanshard St., to provide more affordable homes for people in Victoria.
“Everyone deserves to have safe, stable housing they can afford, and this site offers great potential to deliver a mix of permanent housing to meet the needs of people in Victoria,” said Selina Robinson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “This will further add to the significant efforts underway with community and local government partners in the Capital Regional District to tackle the housing crisis and build the homes people need.”
The long-term use of the site will be determined through engagement with the community. In the short term, the building will provide approximately 65 rooms of temporary accommodations with wraparound supports for people currently living in encampments on the Pandora Avenue corridor and Topaz Park.
“Often people experiencing homelessness are not able to access the support and services they need,” said Shane Simpson, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. “The purchase of the Comfort Inn, combined with medical and social supports, will help people make the transition from the street to permanent housing.”
This is not the first facility that the province has purchased to accommodate homeless people, reported the GoodNewsNetwork in May. In the city of Prince Rupert, the province purchased the former Raffles Inn motel in order to convert it it into a permanent supportive housing building with up to 48 units, each with private washrooms, showers and mini kitchens. Once complete, the building will have the capacity for a 35-space temporary shelter or an extreme weather response shelter by 2021.
Both of these purchases are part of a province-wide mission to build roughly 3,300 new affordable housing units for seniors, Indigenous people, low-income families, women and children escaping abuse, students, and people experiencing—or at risk of—homelessness.
Source: BCHousing.org
208 people from encampments have moved into safe, temporary accommodation
BC Housing is partnering with Our Place to operate the building, which started to receive people last month.
“This is a substantial investment in our community and will provide housing for those who need it most,” says Lisa Helps, mayor, City of Victoria. “This site has significant redevelopment potential to provide a range of affordable housing in the long term. I look forward to working with the community and with BC Housing to determine the long-term use of this site.”
People will have onsite access to services such as meals, health-care services, addictions treatment and harm reduction, storage for personal belongings and other supports, including 24/7 staffing to provide security to residents of the building and the surrounding neighbourhood.
“Our Place is looking forward to partnering with BC Housing in this bold initiative to provide indoor accommodations for our street family during this health crisis,” said Grant McKenzie, director of communications, Our Place Society. “
We intend to serve this vulnerable population with dignity while striving to be a good neighbour to the community.”
BC Housing will set up a new community advisory committee that will include representatives from the Hillside Quadra and Burnside Gorge community associations and the surrounding community. This committee will oversee the supportive housing’s integration within the community and will address any concerns raised by people in the neighbourhood.
From April 25 to May 13, 2020, 208 people from encampments on Pandora Avenue and in Topaz Park have moved into safe, temporary accommodations with supports to protect their health and safety in the overlapping COVID-19 and overdose crises.
Quick Facts:
The B.C. government provided approximately $18.5 million to acquire the building. The Province is working in partnership to build approximately 3,330 new affordable homes for people with a range of incomes in the Capital Regional District:
- Housing for people with middle incomes: 121 homes
- Housing for people with low to moderate incomes, including families, seniors and Indigenous peoples: 1,924 homes
- Housing for women and children leaving violence: 39 homes
- Housing for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness: 431 homes
- Housing for students: 782 beds at the University of Victoria
How to Safely Help Homeless People During Coronavirus Pandemic
Being homeless is already difficult and dangerous. Every day presents new challenges and threats to personal safety and health. These days, with coronavirus wreaking its havoc, threats have grown exponentially. Here are a few ways you can show homeless people in your community you care while adhering to the rules governing our new, temporary way of life.