Salt Spring Island – Supportive Housing

The Seabreeze Inne, 101 Bittancourt Road
BC Housing entered into an agreement with the Lady Minto Hospital Foundation in early 2022, to lease the Seabreeze Inne on a temporary basis, providing shelter for vulnerable members of the Salt Spring Island community.
The Salt Spring and Southern Gulf Islands Community Services Society (SSICS) provided resident support on-site.
The BC Housing lease was set to expire on June 30, 2022. BC Housing has been actively working with our community partners to create temporary homes for residents of the Seabreeze Inne until permanent housing at Drake Rd is ready.
The Lady Minto Hospital Foundation graciously agreed to extend the lease until July 15, 2022, allowing time for us to build a temporary housing site at 154 Kings Lane. We are also very grateful to the Gulf Islands Seniors Residence Association (GISRA) for agreeing to lease a portion of the site at 154 Kings Lane to us on a short-term basis for this purpose.
154 Kings Lane
The land at 154 Kings Lane was cleared in preparation for future redevelopment. GISRA has agreed to lease a portion of this land to support the efforts of BC Housing to provide continued housing with supports to the residents of the Seabreeze Inne. Due to the limited housing options and a vibrant tourist trade on Salt Spring Island, BC Housing struggled to find alternative housing solutions as we approached the end of the lease at the Seabreeze Inne. As such, we are extremely grateful to GISRA for the support they have shown the community in working with us.
The Black Diamond Group will provide the mobile housing unit. All services for residents and staff (including water, power and sewage) will be brought to the site, stored on site and removed as part of the on-going operations provided by the Black Diamond Group. Meals for residents will be provided on site.
This is an interim solution in response to a great need. Once the permanent housing at Drake Rd is ready, we look forward to seeing the mobile unit dismantled, the land returned with thanks to GISRA and welcoming residents to their new permanent homes.
161 Drake Road
In early 2022 BC Housing executed a License Agreement for pre-development works with the Capital Regional District to use some of the lands at 161 Drake Rd to build permanent purpose-built supportive housing. We are working to create long term solutions for people at risk of or experiencing homelessness on Salt Spring Island, and we believe this modular project provides the best opportunity for the people we serve.
This development will provide long term housing to many of the people currently living in the Seabreeze Inne and people currently sleeping on mats at the In from the Cold shelter at 268 Fulford-Ganges. This new development will include up to 28 studio units, not enough to house everyone at the Seabreeze Inne and the In from the Cold shelter. We will work closely with people to identify their individual needs. The most vulnerable will be offered places at 161 Drake Road and we will work to find other housing solutions for those who require fewer supports. We are committed to ensuring that no one ends up back on the streets.
We are also exploring the option of using a very limited number of these units for dual occupancy “bridge to housing” beds. Bridge to housing beds serve as a pathway to permanent housing for individuals at risk of homelessness in our communities. Unlike temporary shelter beds, individuals who access bridge to housing do so through the BC Housing Coordinated Access and Assessment (CAA) table. More information on this development, supportive housing, bridge to housing and the CAA table can be found in the project factsheet.
Development Process
We believe it is important to provide permanent supportive homes as soon as possible for people experiencing homelessness on Salt Spring Island. We are moving this development forward as fast as possible using statutory immunity to go straight to the construction phase. Development on Salt Spring Island is complex. We are currently working through many layers of due diligence including environmental, riparian area assessments and water supply approvals. Construction is estimated to complete in early 2023.
Community Engagement
We are committed to keeping the community informed. We welcome questions and comments below in the Q&A or by email to: communityrelations@bchousing.org.
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