Two Northwest communities to host Transition Housing projects

The British Columbia government announced plans Thursday to expand on their Transitional Housing program with 12 communities listed as destinations for the initiative to deliver safer housing for women and children fleeing abuse.

Selina Robinson, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing outlined the focus for the program and the scope of the work to be delivered over the next ten years.

“These first projects will make a tremendous impact in the lives of women and children who need our help,”  ...  “For too long, a lack of investment has meant women and children looking for help at a desperate time have found themselves with nowhere to turn. This cannot continue. These homes are just the beginning of those to come over the next 10 years, as we work with non-profit partners to ensure more women and children have safe places to regroup, rebuild and reclaim their lives.”

The housing will be operated by non-profit providers that specialize in housing and supports for women and children who are experiencing or at risk of violence in their communities.

In the Northwest, Smithers and Kitimat were named as the locations for the housing program:

In Kitimat, the Tamitik Status of Women Association will be the community lead. operating 12 transition house beds, 10 units of second stage housing and 20 affordable rental homes. Included in the housing will be 10 accessible units for women and families in need. The housing will be place on a site donated by the District of Kitimat.


Smithers will see the Northern Society for Domestic Peace coordinate the program which will see four second-stage housing units for young women and young mothers, along with five second stage units for women and women with children.

Prince George was also announced as a Northern site for the housing program, with the other nine locations spread out across the province.

The program announcement of Thursday,  is the first stage of a ten year program that will make for a 734 million dollar investment by the government into transition housing and supports.

You can review the full information release here.

For more items of note from the Legislature see our archive page here.

A wider overview of housing issues across the Northwest can be found here.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review.