New supported housing coming for Salt Spring

A new supported housing project on Salt Spring Island, funded by the province and the Capital Regional District, will provide 28 new permanent homes for people experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness.

“This new project will provide permanent safe and secure housing with supports to vulnerable members of the Salt Spring community who have struggled to find a place to live,” said David Eby, attorney general and minister for housing.

The project, which does not yet have a budget, will mean both health-care workers and vulnerable residents will have homes on the island.

The project at 161 Drake Rd. will offer supports, dedicated shelter and programming space, and will include space for those living in Salt Spring’s temporary Seabreeze Inne and FulfordGanges shelters.

Residents of the Drake Road project will live independently and have access to daily meals, laundry, employment support, health supports, harm reduction and community programming.

It will be operated by the Salt Spring and Southern Gulf Islands Community Services Society, which also operates the Fulford-Ganges shelter.

B.C. Housing and the Lady Minto Hospital Foundation have agreed to extend the lease of the Seabreeze Inne shelter until construction of the Drake Road permanent homes are completed. The shelter’s lease was set to expire on Feb. 8.

Site preparation and construction is to begin in the coming weeks.