Province and VANOC partner to house the homeless in BC

VANCOUVER, Oct. 21 /CNW/ - An agreement between the Province of British
Columbia and the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and
Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) will create up to 156 units of permanent
affordable housing for people most in need across B.C., Premier Gordon
Campbell announced today.
  "Through Olympic Legacy Affordable Housing, we will provide affordable
supportive housing to help break the cycle of homelessness in communities
across our province," said Premier Campbell. "This agreement builds on the
progress of the Housing Matters BC provincial housing strategy and helps meet
the critical goal of sheltering the homeless and providing support services to
those most in need."
  Almost two years in the making, this agreement is made possible from the
participation of a number of government and corporate partners. A Memorandum
of Understanding (MOU) between the Province and VANOC proposes to reconfigure
320 temporary modular housing units from the Olympic and Paralympic Village at
Whistler and relocate and convert them as 156 permanent, affordable housing
units to six communities across the province: Chetwynd, Chilliwack, Enderby,
Saanich, Sechelt and Surrey.
  "We are committed to increasing the supply of affordable, supportive
housing so that people have a stable base to improve their lives," said
Housing and Social Development Minister Rich Coleman. "To accomplish this, we
need partnerships - with VANOC, with local governments and with community
organizations - to find innovative housing solutions."
  The total capital cost of the Legacy Project is approximately
$43.6 million. The initial construction of the temporary modular units at the
Olympic and Paralympics Village at Whistler will be approximately
$18.2 million, of which VANOC will provide $9.4 million with additional
support from RONA, Britco and other sponsors. The Province will contribute
over $20 million for the relocation, reconfiguration and site preparation
costs in the six communities. A total of $5.4 million in land value will be
contributed by Chetwynd, Saanich, Sechelt and Surrey and by the Province in
Chilliwack and Enderby.