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| Original News Release |
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| Original News Release |
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Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Ministry of Forests and Range and Minister responsible for Housing |
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Riverside Place is a 32-unit development at 242 Louvain Street in Vanderhoof. It provides 14 units of assisted living under the Independent Living BC program and 12 units under the Seniors’ Supportive Housing program. The Province is also providing rental supplements for residents of the remaining six bachelor suites that are not part of either program. Those six units were also renovated, and all renovations at Riverside Place were completed in February 2008.
All of the Seniors’ Supportive Housing units are bachelor suites while 12 of the assisted living units are one-bedroom suites and two are two-bedroom suites.
Assisted living tenants pay 70 per cent of their after-tax income for their units and services, which include meals, weekly housekeeping and linen services, 24-hour response, personal care services, and social and recreational opportunities.
The Seniors’ Supportive Housing program is made up of two components: building conversions and a support services package. Building conversions focus on improving safety and accessibility through renovations to individual units and common areas. The renovations included:
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Accessibility
Enhancements
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Low-threshold showers
instead of bathtubs
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Grab bars in
showers and for toilets
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Appropriate
handrails in hallways
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Enhanced lighting
for exits/entrances and corridors
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Fire sprinklers
and in-suite smoke detectors
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Swing-free door
closers
The main lobby, common area kitchen, dining area, two common area lounges, and hallways in the development were also renovated to meet new program criteria. Seniors’ Supportive Housing tenants receive one meal a day, housekeeping, laundry, lifeline emergency response system and monitoring, and social and recreation opportunities. Seniors’ Supportive Housing tenants pay rent as determined by their tenancy agreement and 20 per cent of their gross household income for support services. In total more than 900 units in 22 developments will be upgraded or managed under the program.
Partners and Funding:
Capital cost of this
project is $4.13
million.
§ The federal government, through Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, provided a $1.24-million (Canada-BC Affordable Housing Program Agreement) capital grant.
§ The Province provided a grant of $681,789 to renovate and convert 12 units to the Seniors’ Supportive Housing program and to renovate six additional units to the same standards.
§ The remainder of the funding was provided in the form of a $2.2-million mortgage through the Province’s operating agreement.
Operating costs for the project are provided as
follows:
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The Province is providing up to $3,036,313 in housing
subsidies over 35 years for the 32 units.
§ Northern Health is providing funding for personal care for tenants.
Nechako Valley Community Services Society
Nechako
Valley Community Services Society was originally formed in 1977 for the purpose
of providing home support services to the communities of Vanderhoof and Fraser
Lake. The society has expanded consistently and currently holds 17 contracts
with various government ministries to provide mental health and other
counselling and support services to the communities of Vanderhoof, Fort St.
James, Fraser Lake and Burns Lake.
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Contact: |
Renee Schisler Events Coordinator BC Housing 604 439-4757 |
Mark Karjaluoto |
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Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation 604 737-4032 |
Nechako Valley Community Services Society 250 567-5344 |
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For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca. |
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