New home opening for families and seniors in Sparwood

Those in need of affordable housing, will soon be moving into a new 30-unit apartment complex in Sparwood, with an unveiling taking place on October 27. The Timbers Landing Mixed Income Housing Project is the result of a partnership between the federal and provincial governments, the District of Sparwood, Columbia Basin Trust, New Commons Development, Teck and the Elk Valley Family Society, which will operate the new building.

“Together, we’re building a stronger, more inclusive Elk Valley, one home at a time,” said Katey Taylor, the executive director of the Elk Valley Family Society.

The Elk Valley Family Society said they are excited to be introducing the new mixed-income housing project to the community. Taylor said it was a “true collaboration” between The Elk Valley Family Society, the District of Sparwood, and our funding and construction partners. 

One of those funding partners, Teck, said they are committed to making a “positive difference” in the communities where they have employees work and live. Teck announced on October 30, a contribution of $100,000 for the housing project in Sparwood.

“We are proud to work with all the partners to support the Timbers Landing Mixed Income Housing Project and help increase the supply of affordable housing in the Elk Valley,” said Robin Sheremeta, senior vice-president of coal at Teck.

According to B.C.’s Minister of Housing, Ravi Kahlon they know more affordable housing is needed in rural areas such as the Kootenay region and throughout B.C.

“With the development of Timber Landing, we’re providing more single-parent families, seniors and people living with a disability with the opportunity to stay in Sparwood, the community they call home. People can expect more homes like this to open throughout the province as we build on our commitment to provide affordable housing options for British Columbians,” said Kahlon.

Timber Landings is located at 431 Pine Ave., providing homes for people with low to moderate incomes. It is a four-storey building and sports a mix of one, two and three-bedroom units, each with its own balcony. The mayor said council and the community are very excited to see this project be completed.

“The need for housing within the district and across the Elk Valley is significant, and Timbers Landing will help to alleviate that struggle for those who are impacted the most. The apartment complex is thoughtfully designed, well-built and will serve to set the standard for affordable housing in Sparwood. It has been a pleasure to work with both the Elk Valley Housing Society and the main contractor and we thank them for their diligence in getting this project done on time and on budget,” said District of Sparwood mayor David Wilks.

Federal Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, Sean Fraser, explained how investing in affordable housing is more than simply putting money toward construction. 

“It’s about investing in the well-being of communities such as Sparwood, ensuring that all residents have satisfactory housing options,” said Fraser, “With an investment of nearly $2 million in the Timbers, our government is helping ensure that residents can live where they work and allow them to put down roots in the community of their choice. When we ensure that all Canadians have access to safe and stable housing, we are building a stronger Canada. This is the National Housing Strategy at work.”

The building opens its doors to new tenants in the coming weeks, including seven accessible units. Timber Landing will have all-electric low-carbon-consumption features such as heat pumps for combined heating and cooling, and integrated solar-panel systems helping to offset the common area electricity.

This project is part of a $19-billion housing investment by the B.C. government. Since 2017, the Province has approximately 77,000 homes that have been delivered or are underway, including approximately 750 homes in the Kootenay region.