Last Thursday, Bowen Island’s council heard from the CEO of BC Housing, Shayne Ramsay about all the ways his organization helps to create affordable housing options in communities across the province.
Members of council had many questions about the size and scale of the projects, how the organization works with local governments, and what would be needed to move forward on a project, and closed the meeting with a sense of optimism.
Ramsay told council that B.C. Housing, in partnership with non-profits from across the province, has created 60,000 units of housing, including 5000 in the Lower Mainland.
They’ve built housing complexes with as few as six units, they’ve built pre-fabricated modular housing, and even shipping container housing.
“A number of years ago we looked at partnering with local governments in the North around seniors housing,” said Ramsay. “We probably did a few dozen projects between 10 and 30 units, and largely from modular housing, and the modular’s looked absolutely beautiful, you couldn’t tell they weren’t stick-built.”
In partnering with local governments, he said, B.C. Housing expects them to provide a long-term lease of land.
A local non-profit would be expected to step in to develop the capacity to manage the buildings.
“They have the experience with the client group that they are aiming to serve and they would have roots in the local community,” said Ramsay. “In general, those are the criteria we would look for.”
Members of council provided their perspectives to create a picture of Bowen Island’s housing landscape for Ramsay.
Councillor Sue-Ellen Fast told him that a main focus has been the push towards detached secondary suites on Bowen Island, described by Councillor Maureen Nicholson as “laneway houses.”
Fast added that that the idea is to provide housing for people who work in Snug Cove and are struggling to afford living in the community.
“So, the need is largely for working families and they would largely be singles?” asked Ramsay.
“We have exactly all the needs of every community you’ve ever walked into,” replied Mayor Murray Skeels. “Our needs are a mile wide and an inch deep. So when you say, do we need housing for workers well yeah, that could be 50 people, or 30 people or maybe 20. We don’t really know. We don’t have good obtainable data because it is such a fluid situation.”
Councillors also offered a run-down of developments that are currently underway that will increase the housing stock on Bowen Island – these include Snug Cove House, the proposed medical centre/apartment complex on Dorman Road, and the development of the Grafton Lake lands.
“When it comes to affordable rental stock, there is not very much,” said Councillor Nicholson.
In terms of exact numbers, Councillors Nicholson and Fast offered that there are several “streams of data” that can be tapped into in the near future, but it would be necessary to bring that data together into one report.
A housing needs analysis and a basic business plan would be necessary in order to move forward on a plan with B.C. Housing’s support, said Ramsay.
He also offered to help pick up 50 percent of the cost for developing a business case, a cost he estimated to be roughly $25,000.
“It takes three years to build a site in the City of Vancouver,” said Ramsay. “I am assuming you could do it more quickly here.”
Councillor Fast says she was encouraged by the possibilities opened up through Ramsay’s visit.
“We now know that community housing is possible on Bowen, and have a lot more clarity on what the options might look like going forward,” says Fast.
Councillor Nicholson added that she was impressed by Ramsay’s willingness to move forward the conversation about housing with Bowen Island, and also the willingness to get involved in a project slated for on a piece of land that has just completed rezoning – as opposed to something that is shovel-ready.
