New housing is on the way for seniors and those with under-average income in Gibsons.
It will add 56 new units of housing through the redevelopment of a property on Kiwanis Way.
They’ll be adding on to an existing building, replacing a second building, and adding a third to the spot. The province says work will be done in two phases.
“Work on Phase 1 will start shortly to build a three-storey addition with 29 new units to an existing 22-unit building,” the province says in a release. “Phase 2 will see a four-storey, 47-unit building replace a 20-unit building that has reached the end of its lifespan. The project will create a net increase of 56 new units.”
BC’s Minister of Housing, Ravi Kahlon, was in town Thursday to announce the new project along with Sunshine Coast MLA Nicholas Simons and Gibsons Mayor Silas White.
White says this is housing absolutely needed as the population continues to age.
“In the 2021 census, the Sunshine Coast’s median age was 56 and our highest demographic for population growth has been in the 65-plus age group,” says White. “Meanwhile, income on the Sunshine Coast is significantly lower than provincial and national averages. We absolutely need this housing in Gibsons, so we commend and celebrate the hard work and vision of the Gibsons Lions and Kiwanis clubs, and the tremendous support from the provincial government through BC Housing.”
These units will be geared to income, market rate, or subsidized for those on income assistance.
