Latest news with #ChristineBoyle
Cision Canada
3 days ago
- Politics
- Cision Canada
Investing in water infrastructure improvements on Vancouver Island Français
SAYWARD, BC, /CNW/ - Two communities on Vancouver Island are receiving upgrades to their water infrastructure after a combined investment of more than $5.25 million from the federal and provincial governments and municipal partners. In the Municipality of North Cowichan, the Crofton Sewage Treatment Plant will be upgraded with two new clarifiers and a sludge thickening system to improve wastewater treatment and ensure the treated water remains clean and compliant with environmental standards. These upgrades will expand the plant's capacity to treat more wastewater, maintain the treatment plant's high level of compliance, and protect the health and safety of the community. The Village of Sayward will benefit from drainage and stormwater upgrades aimed at reducing flooding and minimizing flood risks for homes. The project involves upgrading stormwater pipes, adding biofilters to reduce pollution runoff, and other related improvements to support sustainable stormwater management. Together, these efforts will strengthen the community's resilience to extreme weather events, enhance water quality, and help create a safer and healthier environment for residents and local wildlife. Quotes "Our government is proud to support these important wastewater and stormwater management upgrades on Vancouver Island. This work will enhance climate resilience, support healthy communities and protect ecosystems for generations to come." The Honourable Stephanie McLean, Secretary of State (Seniors) "Cleaner water in local streams and waterways, reduced flooding and increased resilience to extreme weather events will make these Vancouver Island communities safer and stronger. Upgrades like these are helping protect the environment people live in and rely on and supporting a more secure future for British Columbians." Christine Boyle, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs "Our Council has made upgrading our infrastructure a top priority, and this investment in the Crofton sewage treatment plant reflects that commitment. This project will ensure the plant continues to produce clean effluent that meets stringent regulations and expand capacity to serve our growing community. By working together with our federal and provincial partners, we are safeguarding both public health and our local environment for generations to come." Rob Douglas, Mayor, Municipality of North Cowichan "This investment is a game-changer for the Village of Sayward. At nearly two and a half times our total annual tax revenue, this funding will allow us to move forward with essential drainage and stormwater upgrades that will protect homes, improve water quality, and strengthen our community's resilience to flooding and extreme weather. These improvements will not only benefit residents today but will also support the long-term environmental health and sustainability of our Village for generations to come." , Mayor, Village of Sayward Quick Facts The federal government is investing $1,402,864 in the Municipality of North Cowichan project and $697,230.40 in the Village of Sayward project through the Green Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. The Government of British Columbia is investing $1,168,936 in the Municipality of North Cowichan's project and $580,967 in the Village of Sayward project. The Municipality of North Cowichan is contributing $935,359 and the Village of Sayward is contributing $464,879. The Green Infrastructure Stream helps build greener communities by contributing to climate change preparedness, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and supporting renewable technologies. Including today's announcement, over 160 infrastructure projects under the Green Infrastructure Stream have been announced in British Columbia, with a total federal contribution of more than $765 million and a total provincial contribution of more than $429 million. Federal funding is conditional on fulfilling all requirements related to consultation with Indigenous groups and environmental assessment obligations. Green Infrastructure Stream Housing and Infrastructure Project Map Strengthened Climate Plan SOURCE Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Contacts: For more information (media only), please contact: Renée LeBlanc Proctor, Senior Communications Advisor and Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, [email protected]; Media Relations, Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, 613-960-9251, Toll free: 1-877-250-7154, Email: [email protected]; British Columbia, Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs, 236-475-4435, [email protected]; Barb Floden, Manager, Communications and Public Engagement, Municipality of North Cowichan , 250-746-3100, [email protected]; Mark Baker, Mayor, Village of Sayward, [email protected]
CBC
6 days ago
- Health
- CBC
Housing minister says new Nanaimo supportive housing won't be dry, despite council's call to ban substances
B.C.'s housing minister says the province isn't looking at making a new supportive housing building in Nanaimo's downtown core free of drugs and alcohol, despite city council's plea to do so. At a recent meeting, Nanaimo council voted to send a letter to the province asking it to ban substances at the building, located at 250 Terminal Ave. Coun. Erin Hemmens, who put forward the motion to send the letter, said it comes from a request from the neighbourhood. "Folks who have been through treatment have a really hard time going back into supportive housing when drug usage is apparent," she said. "It's not an easy place to retain their recovery trajectory." She described the request as "fair and reasonable." But Housing Minister Christine Boyle disagrees. She said the request to make the facility a dry housing complex isn't something B.C. Housing is considering. "B.C. Housing uses the widely recognized housing first model, meaning we recognize the importance of getting people into housing and supports, in that housing that allows them to access health care and other supports with a harm reduction approach," she told CBC's The Early Edition. She then pointed to another Nanaimo supportive housing project, called Sparrow, which prioritizes people who want to limit their exposure to drugs and alcohol. It won't be completely dry, she said, but it will have 24/7 on-site support, according to B.C. Housing. "Relapse is often part of recovery," Boyle said. "What we don't want is for people who have a relapse to lose their housing and go through the destabilizing impacts that that can continue to have." She said there are many unhoused people in Nanaimo, but there are many who aren't at a point where they need or want their housing to depend on their sobriety. " We are meeting people where they're at and helping make sure first that they get the stability of a safe and reliable home so that they can access health support." According to its most recent homeless count, there were 621 unhoused people in Nanaimo in 2024, up 20 per cent compared to the year prior. However, Hemmens said the city estimates there are currently roughly 1,000 people who are homeless in the community. In June, Nanaimo city council was one of nine councils across B.C. that called on the province to legislate housing as a human right. Hemmens said Nanaimo can't build housing fast enough. "What is important is that we're not channelling all of our resources into one specific community, and that we're actually providing everyone who is in that situation with an opportunity to get out," she said. Boyle, as a former city councillor herself, having spent several years in municipal politics in Vancouver, said she understands the challenges communities like Nanaimo are facing when it comes to homelessness and addiction. But, she said, there needs to be a balance between what the community wants and what people who require housing actually need. "If we build housing that isn't helping people move indoors because it's not what they want, then it's not working either, right? Then we still have tent encampments and people stuck outdoors." As of August, the completion date for the project at 250 Terminal Ave. has yet to be determined. One five-storey building will have 50 studio apartments for single adults, and a second one will be built to house 34 affordable homes for low-income families, seniors and people with disabilities. The Sparrow project, located at 1298 Nelson St., will have 78 units. Boyle said it will open later this year or in early 2026.
The Province
31-07-2025
- Business
- The Province
'That model is dead:' B.C. Premier, housing minister rebuff developers' request for foreign real estate investment
"We are not going back to the Wild West days of empty condos, and foreign investment racking up the prices," said B.C. Housing Minister Christine Boyle B.C. Premier David Eby. Photo by ETHAN CAIRNS / THE CANADIAN PRESS 'We are not going back,' Premier David Eby and Housing Minister Christine Boyle said Wednesday when asked separately about a push by large developers to get government to allow more foreign investment in real estate. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors In a letter Tuesday, some of the biggest names in B.C. real estate asked the federal government to reconsider its ban on foreign entities purchasing residential property in Canada, and for the B.C. government to reconsider its tax on foreign buyers. The letter is signed by heads of several major B.C. companies including prominent names like Polygon, Amacon, Westbank, Strand, Intracorp, Bonnis, Beedie, Mosaic, Pooni Group, and Cressey. It's addressed to Prime Minister Mark Carney, federal Housing Minister Gregor Robertson, Eby, Boyle and Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon. The number of new housing starts in B.C. is of 'particular concern,' the letter says, citing a nearly 50 per cent drop in starts comparing March 2025 with March 2024. The letter argues that in light of the recent industry slowdown — which has already meant layoffs at some big real estate companies and some projects delayed — the federal government should revisit its prohibition on residential property purchases by non-Canadians, which took effect in 2023 and is in place until 2027. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The letter argues that foreign investors form an important part of the presale condo market, and without them, fewer projects will sell enough pre-construction units to get financing. 'Canada's ban on foreign ownership was designed to help curtail the nation's housing affordability crisis, but it has also negatively impacted overall investment into the new home industry,' the letter says. No one from the federal Housing Department was available for comment Wednesday. It sent an emailed statement, which didn't directly answer what the Canadian government will do about the foreign buyer ban but seemed to throw cold water on the developers' request. A neighbourhood of townhouses is seen in an aerial view in Richmond. Photo by DARRYL DYCK / THE CANADIAN PRESS By reducing the impact of foreign demand, the ban 'helps to ensure that those homes are used for Canadians to live in, not as a speculative asset class for foreign investors,' the ministry's response said. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Eby and Boyle were more direct. On Wednesday, Boyle said she wouldn't comment on what the federal government should do, 'but certainly here in B.C., we're not going to stop cracking down on speculation. We don't want to go back to the days when foreign investors were buying up empty condos and leaving neighbourhoods empty and pushing up the prices for people and families.' B.C.'s foreign buyer tax was created by the B.C. Liberals in 2016. Boyle said that even though the tax was created by her party's political rivals, the NDP has no plans to repeal it: 'I'm open to ideas from all over, and we're seeing it (the tax) make a difference.' B.C.'s foreign buyer tax revenues declined after the federal ban was implemented. But because Ottawa's ban includes some exemptions — such as larger buildings with four or more dwellings — the provincial tax is still expected to raise $40 million over the next fiscal year. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Boyle said her government will keep working with the private sector to get more housing built, citing changes to push municipalities to approve more housing and a recent deal that used federal funds to lower development fees in Metro Vancouver. 'We'll continue to do all of that work and continue to listen and talk through ideas,' Boyle said. 'But we are not going back to the Wild West days of empty condos, and foreign investment racking up the prices.' Eby, asked about the letter Wednesday, said he shares concerns about declining housing starts in some segments of the market but doesn't believe the answer is bringing huge amounts of foreign money back into B.C. 'Let me say this: We are not going back to the old model of doing things,' Eby said. 'Under the previous (provincial) government, the idea was if you welcome foreign investment into real estate, everybody's going to benefit. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'And what we saw was real estate prices became completely detached from what people are actually able to earn in British Columbia, meaning that young people are priced-out of the housing market, and those prices are incredibly sticky. 'I accept that the old model of doing things is not working anymore. And frankly, I say good. 'If you want to see what the old market did, look at the CURV building project in the West End of the city of Vancouver, a site that started at $16 million by local developers that ended up being sold for $69 million after international money got involved. It was completely stupid and disconnected from what the local market can support.' The CURV project is now mired in financial turmoil and facing receivership, its future unclear. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'If foreign capital can help build housing for Canadians and British Columbians, great. But if the foreign capital is just housing that is going to sit empty in the middle of downtown Vancouver, like the CURV building, well, forget about it. That model is dead.' The letter urges governments to consider the policy in Australia, which restricts foreign ownership of existing homes but allows foreign purchases of new homes and presales 'to maintain the strength of their construction industry.' One of the letter's signatories was Kevin Layden, president of Vancouver-based developer Wesbild. Layden said the current state of the B.C. residential real estate market is worse than the 2008 global financial crisis, and he has 'never seen it this bad.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'If projects don't go forward, there will be an inventory decline in two-to-three years time, which means we will not have enough homes for the population that we have, so that will drive prices back up,' Layden said. 'So what the industry is basically saying right now is we want to keep the pipelines moving. … We want to allow foreign investors to invest in these projects so we can get them built.' With files from Alec Lazenby dfumano@ Read More Vancouver Canucks Columnists News Vancouver Whitecaps Vancouver Whitecaps
Cision Canada
22-07-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
Canada announces funding for 27 new homes in Port Hardy Français
PORT HARDY, BC, July 22, 2025 /CNW/ - Solving Canada's housing crisis requires immediate action to bring down costs. To provide Canadians with increased access to affordable and sustainable housing, the government today announced funding of over $11.1 million for the Urban Village in Port Hardy. The announcement was made as part of a sacred Blessing Ceremony hosted by the Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw Housing Society (GNHS). This project is a crucial step towards addressing the urgent need for safe, affordable, and culturally appropriate housing for Indigenous households and Elders in Port Hardy and the District of Mt. Waddington. The project, located at 8925 Park Drive, has 27 apartments across three, low-rise buildings with a mix of one, two and three-bedroom units. Construction is being undertaken by K'awat'si Construction Company, a subsidiary of K'awat'si Economic Development Corporation (KEDC), Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw Nation's economic development subsidiary. As we build a strong Canadian housing sector, purposeful collaboration will be essential. That means working hand-in-hand with the non-profit sector to bring down costs and build homes at a scale and speed not seen since the Second World War. Quotes: "The federal government is committed to providing communities with the support they need to develop local solutions to housing challenges. Working with our partners, we're ensuring that everyone has a safe, affordable place to call home." – The Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada "It's crucial that Indigenous people in Port Hardy and throughout British Columbia have access to affordable homes where they feel culturally safe and supported. We'll keep working with First Nations and the federal government so more Indigenous people find homes that reflect their culture and values, close to family in the community they love." – Christine Boyle, BC Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs "This blessing ceremony signifies more than just the start of construction; it represents a commitment to our community's well-being and a new chapter of hope for our families and Elders. This project is a testament to what can be achieved when Indigenous leadership, government partners, and industry come together to address critical housing needs in a culturally respectful way."" – Chief Leslie Walkus, Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw First Nations Quick Facts: Funding provided for the Urban Village is as follows: $11.16 million from the federal government, through the National Housing Strategy's Affordable Housing Fund $6.07 million from the Province through BC Housing's Indigenous Housing Fund, as well as annual operating funding. $811,000 from Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw First Nations as well as the land for the project. The Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) provides funding through low-interest and/or forgivable loans or contributions to partnered organizations for new affordable housing and the renovation and repair of existing, affordable and community housing. This is a $14.6 billion program under the National Housing Strategy (NHS) that gives priority to projects that help people who need it most, including women and children fleeing family violence, seniors, Indigenous Peoples, people living with disabilities, those with mental health or addiction issues, Veterans, and young adults. As of March 2025, the Government of Canada has committed $11.99 billion to support the creation of over 46,000 units and the repair of over 174,000 units through the Affordable Housing Fund. The Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw Housing Society is an independent self-governing entity established to develop and provide affordable housing options to low and no-income Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw members and other First Nations people, including Elders, living in Port Hardy and the District of Mt. Waddington. Its purposes also include acting as an independent housing authority, working with social and community organizations, and providing quality housing services based on mutual respect and recognition Additional Information: Visit for the most-requested Government of Canada housing information. CMHC plays a critical role as a national facilitator to promote stability and sustainability in Canada's housing finance system. Our mortgage insurance products support access to homeownership and the creation and maintenance of rental supply. We also actively support the Government of Canada in delivering on its commitment to make housing more affordable. Our research and data help inform housing policy. By facilitating cooperation between all levels of government, private and non-profit sectors, we contribute to advancing housing affordability, equity, and climate compatibility. Follow us on X, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)
Glasgow Times
28-06-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Newton Mearns postmistress honoured for 40 years of service
Nancy Chant has spent four decades at the helm of Crookfur Post Office in Newton Mearns, but her career in the industry spans more than 50 years. She began her journey at branches in Pollock and Giffnock before working at Crookfur for four years when it was based at Fourboys newsagents on Harvie Avenue. Read more: More: Over 4000 people sign petition to protect under-threat Glasgow post office When Fourboys was set to close, her area manager encouraged her to apply to take over the Crookfur branch. She secured a rent-free first year in a nearby vacant unit and quickly exceeded expectations, tripling the projected income for the site. Nancy said: "The best thing about being a postmistress is the people that you meet. "I love to chat. "I know three generations of the same family, as I have been serving this community for so long. "People recognise me whenever I'm out and about and we have a little chat." She now works part-time, supported by a small team that includes Sandra Pirie, Gurpreet Jassal, and her daughter Jennifer Hill. This allows Nancy more time to spend with her grandchildren and great-granddaughter, who all live nearby. Nancy and Christine Boyle, Post Office area manager (Image: Supplied) In May, Crookfur was upgraded to a mains branch, expanding its services to include a full range of currencies on demand, car tax renewal, passport checking, identity verification, and in-store travel insurance. With the closure of the area's last bank, Santander, at the end of June, the branch now handles even more personal and business banking, including cash and cheque deposits and free withdrawals. It has also been equipped with note and coin counting machines to improve efficiency. Nancy has also expanded the branch's services to include courier options like Evri and DPD. She has made space to store the growing number of parcels, drop-offs, and collections driven by the rise in online shopping and returns. To celebrate her successful 40 years in the role, Nancy was presented with a Post Office 40 Years' Long Service Award. Read more: More: Major plans revealed for Glasgow's Buchanan Galleries after demolition axed Christine Boyle, Post Office area manager, said: "I want to sincerely thank Nancy for her long and loyal service to the Crookfur community. "Nancy's made a real difference to people's lives. "She really is at the heart of her community. "Nancy runs a first-class Post Office and we are delighted to have recently been able to add extra services to her branch to meet the needs of her community."
