Victoria – 938 Mason Street – Wellness House

an illustration of three buildings side by side.


BC Housing, the City of Victoria and the Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness Society are working together to develop Culturally Supportive Housing at 938 Mason Street in Victoria.

We are currently calling this project “Wellness House.” We will consult with local Elders, Knowledge Keepers and Indigenous people with lived experience to design the building and the programming. Through this, we aim to provide culturally supportive, transitional housing for First Nations, Inuit and Métis people at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

The Wellness House’s model of care is currently under development, but it will aim to addresses many systemic barriers to housing and health care for Indigenous peoples. It will be the first housing of its kind in BC, creating a safe and culturally supportive environment with wraparound care that aligns traditional Indigenous and western health approaches.

Development

The existing building at the site was previously used as an Emergency Response Centre during the COVID pandemic. We plan to demolish that building to make space for the new building.

We currently expect construction to start in June 2025.

Once complete, Wellness House will have four floors, with 30-35 studio and two-bedroom apartments. Four units will be fully accessible.

What is Culturally Supportive Housing?

Culturally Supportive Housing encompasses cultural supports and decolonized harm reduction practices. It draws on Indigenous knowledge to reimage systems and approaches for addressing homelessness and substance use disorders. As part of the dual model of housing care, Culturally Supportive Housing is similar to other supportive housing projects in that it provides daily meals, life and employment skills training, health care referrals, and other community services. What makes Culturally Supportive Housing unique is that it also focuses on strengthening Indigenous self-identity and building community. This holistic approach addresses the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well-being through culturally supportive, trauma-informed practices. These practices include land-based healing, cultural programming, traditional foods, Elder mentorship, ceremony, and traditional healing.

The Wellness House will welcome single adults and couples of all genders, including seniors and people with disabilities.

The Operator

The Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness Society (ACEH) will be the operator of Wellness House. The ACEH has experience operating Culturally Supportive Housing since 2020, and currently operates SPAKEN House (Flower House) and Kwum Kwum LeLum (House of Courage):

Learn more about ACEHS by visiting acehsociety.com.

Questions

We welcome questions and comments by email to communityrelations@bchousing.org.


BC Housing, the City of Victoria and the Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness Society are working together to develop Culturally Supportive Housing at 938 Mason Street in Victoria.

We are currently calling this project “Wellness House.” We will consult with local Elders, Knowledge Keepers and Indigenous people with lived experience to design the building and the programming. Through this, we aim to provide culturally supportive, transitional housing for First Nations, Inuit and Métis people at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

The Wellness House’s model of care is currently under development, but it will aim to addresses many systemic barriers to housing and health care for Indigenous peoples. It will be the first housing of its kind in BC, creating a safe and culturally supportive environment with wraparound care that aligns traditional Indigenous and western health approaches.

Development

The existing building at the site was previously used as an Emergency Response Centre during the COVID pandemic. We plan to demolish that building to make space for the new building.

We currently expect construction to start in June 2025.

Once complete, Wellness House will have four floors, with 30-35 studio and two-bedroom apartments. Four units will be fully accessible.

What is Culturally Supportive Housing?

Culturally Supportive Housing encompasses cultural supports and decolonized harm reduction practices. It draws on Indigenous knowledge to reimage systems and approaches for addressing homelessness and substance use disorders. As part of the dual model of housing care, Culturally Supportive Housing is similar to other supportive housing projects in that it provides daily meals, life and employment skills training, health care referrals, and other community services. What makes Culturally Supportive Housing unique is that it also focuses on strengthening Indigenous self-identity and building community. This holistic approach addresses the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well-being through culturally supportive, trauma-informed practices. These practices include land-based healing, cultural programming, traditional foods, Elder mentorship, ceremony, and traditional healing.

The Wellness House will welcome single adults and couples of all genders, including seniors and people with disabilities.

The Operator

The Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness Society (ACEH) will be the operator of Wellness House. The ACEH has experience operating Culturally Supportive Housing since 2020, and currently operates SPAKEN House (Flower House) and Kwum Kwum LeLum (House of Courage):

Learn more about ACEHS by visiting acehsociety.com.

Questions

We welcome questions and comments by email to communityrelations@bchousing.org.

Page last updated: 22 Nov 2024, 11:20 AM