March 1, 2022 Vancouver, BC Natural Resources Canada
Everyone in Canada deserves a safe, affordable, and sustainable place to call home. That is why the Government of Canada and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) are investing in communities to provide sustainable and affordable housing for residents.
The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources and Garth Frizzell, Past President of FCM announced a $10 million investment through the Green Municipal Fund's (GMF) Sustainable Affordable Housing (SAH) initiative to support the redevelopment of two buildings to create 157 units primarily intended for low and moderate-income seniors and people with physical disabilities in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and BC Housing also provided funding for the project. Construction is underway, and the project is expected to be complete by spring 2024.
This project will be one of the first Passive House, affordable, and independent seniors' rental projects in Vancouver. The two new Passive House certified buildings will be operated by Brightside Community Homes Foundation. The project will be purpose-built to help seniors' age in place and will accommodate residents' accessibility needs by designating 20% of the homes for residents with mobility challenges, as well as accessible common areas and amenities designed to enhance community interaction. Brightside will also offer part-time supports and community programming.
This initiative is one of the ways GMF continues to build on its 20-year record of supporting transformative initiatives at the community level. The Government of Canada has invested $1.65 billion in the GMF since its inception, enabling municipalities to support projects like this that leverage local resources to drive innovative solutions.
These Passive House buildings will consume up to 90 percent less energy than conventional buildings. Applicable to almost any building type or design, the Passive House high-performance building standard is the only internationally recognized energy standard in construction. Certification ensures that designers and consultants are expertly qualified to design buildings to meet the standard.
