Nanaimo - 250 Terminal Avenue – Affordable Rental and Supportive Housing

Illustration of Housing

250 Terminal Avenue is currently the home of Newcastle Place, temporary supportive housing operated by Island Crisis Care Society. BC Housing owns this site and is proposing to build approximately 50 new permanent purpose-built homes with supports. In the longer term, approximately 40 new affordable rental homes for families, seniors and people with disabilities will be built on a portion of the site. Depending on community discussion and review of the building placement, rezoning may be required.

All new supportive housing buildings in the province have around-the-clock staffing to help young people, people with disabilities, seniors and others in critical need of housing. Island Crisis Care Society, an experienced local provider, would manage day-to-day operations of the supportive housing at the site and provide supports to tenants. Supports include medical and mental health and addictions services, as well as food, laundry and security. All residents would pay rent. An operator has not yet been selected for the affordable housing.

Virtual Neighbourhood Meeting

BC Housing and its partners hosted online virtual neighbourhood meetings on July 30, to share information about the plan for 250 Terminal Ave., answer questions and collect community feedback with the public. Please view video recording of the event below.


Please send your questions and comments through the Q&A tool below. We welcome your feedback.

Community Advisory Committee

A Newcastle Community Advisory Committee (CAC) led by Island Crisis Care Society is currently operating for the existing housing, with representatives from BC Housing, Island Health, the City of Nanaimo, community partners and community members. CACs are a great way to work together to successfully integrate the new buildings and residents into the community. The existing CAC would pause after Newcastle residents are relocated and would resume once the new purpose-built permanent supportive housing is closer to opening.

Proposed Site options

Take our poll below based on these images and let us know which site you prefer for the supportive housing.

North Option

South Option

250 Terminal Avenue is currently the home of Newcastle Place, temporary supportive housing operated by Island Crisis Care Society. BC Housing owns this site and is proposing to build approximately 50 new permanent purpose-built homes with supports. In the longer term, approximately 40 new affordable rental homes for families, seniors and people with disabilities will be built on a portion of the site. Depending on community discussion and review of the building placement, rezoning may be required.

All new supportive housing buildings in the province have around-the-clock staffing to help young people, people with disabilities, seniors and others in critical need of housing. Island Crisis Care Society, an experienced local provider, would manage day-to-day operations of the supportive housing at the site and provide supports to tenants. Supports include medical and mental health and addictions services, as well as food, laundry and security. All residents would pay rent. An operator has not yet been selected for the affordable housing.

Virtual Neighbourhood Meeting

BC Housing and its partners hosted online virtual neighbourhood meetings on July 30, to share information about the plan for 250 Terminal Ave., answer questions and collect community feedback with the public. Please view video recording of the event below.


Please send your questions and comments through the Q&A tool below. We welcome your feedback.

Community Advisory Committee

A Newcastle Community Advisory Committee (CAC) led by Island Crisis Care Society is currently operating for the existing housing, with representatives from BC Housing, Island Health, the City of Nanaimo, community partners and community members. CACs are a great way to work together to successfully integrate the new buildings and residents into the community. The existing CAC would pause after Newcastle residents are relocated and would resume once the new purpose-built permanent supportive housing is closer to opening.

Proposed Site options

Take our poll below based on these images and let us know which site you prefer for the supportive housing.

North Option

South Option

Have a question or comment? Please write below.

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  • I live in the Boundary project, and have found it difficult to live here the last 4+ years. Here we have a floor for women and two floors for supportive housing. This mixture of people creates an unhealthy community, specifically people living clean lifestyles, who also have mental health issues. I can't leave either, because if I did there would be no appropriate housing for me to move to. With the renovation of 250 Terminal, I am concerned that building both supportive and affordable housing together will create the same issues that the Boundary Project currently has. I would suggest having this site develop affordable, clean housing for people with disabilities. There are other lots in Nanaimo to build supportive housing. Also, with all the supportive housing being developed, I would also suggest developing more detox and treatment beds here in Nanaimo. Housing is a good step to providing choices to our residents, and expanding services is also essential.

    Lori Thomas asked about 2 months ago

    The proposed purpose-built supportive housing units will be for residents of Nanaimo who are experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness, including seniors, families, and/or people with disabilities.  

    Most residents of the new supportive housing will be coming from the existing temporary housing developments at 250 Terminal and 2020 Labieux and are therefore already established residents in the area. 

    Every potential resident is considered on an individual basis to ensure that the housing and services provided by the program match the support services they have self-identified and need, such as life skills training, employment assistance, and help with accessing a range of social and health care services. We are pleased to hear from Island Crisis Care Society, the non-profit operator for the temporary supportive housing currently at Newcastle Place at 250 Terminal Ave, that there has been close to an 80% uptake on services since opening. This means that 80% of program participants have moved forward with some sort of treatment plan during their time, including detox and substance use treatment, mental health treatment and other supportive services. 

    The affordable rental housing will be a future development following the development of the new supportive housing – which is anticipated to will be in operation in early 2022. The affordable rental housing would be similar to any other form of multiple family housing with the only difference being rents are geared to the tenant’s income. Affordable housing will be available for families, seniors, students or single adults.  

  • Hello, I’d like to be notified about the meeting on July 30 please. I am a resident on Vancouver Ave.

    KMain asked 6 months ago

    On July 30th, BC Housing, Island Crisis Care Society and community partners will host a virtual neighbourhood meeting regarding the proposed permanent, purpose-built supportive housing at 250 Terminal Avenue N. 

    There will be two sessions: 10:30am-12:00pm or 7:00-8:30pm. Registration information is available online at https://letstalkhousingbc.ca/nanaimo-250-terminal-ave.  Please register for the time slot of your preference.