Housing

A rendering of Townline’s development at the southwest corner of Vancouver Street and Pandora Avenue in Victoria. (Photo courtesy of Townline)

Capital’s first co-living suites pitched as partial answer to the housing crunch

16-storey building will include 54 co-living units; a new trend in lower-rent living

A rendering of Townline’s development at the southwest corner of Vancouver Street and Pandora Avenue in Victoria. (Photo courtesy of Townline)
This graph shows housing prices in the Alberni Valley over the past 20 years. (PHOTO COURTESY CHRIS FENTON)

Alberni Valley sees historic rise in housing prices in 2021

Rate of increase expected to slow down in 2022

This graph shows housing prices in the Alberni Valley over the past 20 years. (PHOTO COURTESY CHRIS FENTON)
The proposed second-stage housing for Vimy Street. (SCREENSHOT)

ACAWS supportive housing project progresses

A public hearing for the development is scheduled for Jan. 25, 2022

The proposed second-stage housing for Vimy Street. (SCREENSHOT)
Port Alberni Mayor Sharie Minions (centre) cuts the ribbon, held by Bonnie Ruttan and Allana Tweedie of the Low Energy Housing Society, to mark the official opening of Maitland Street Village on Dec. 15. (ELENA RARDON / ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS)

New ‘low energy’ apartments open in Port Alberni

Alberni Low Energy Housing Society offers tour of Maitland Street Village

Port Alberni Mayor Sharie Minions (centre) cuts the ribbon, held by Bonnie Ruttan and Allana Tweedie of the Low Energy Housing Society, to mark the official opening of Maitland Street Village on Dec. 15. (ELENA RARDON / ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS)
(Black Press file photo)

Zero rental vacancies has Ladysmith working to prohibit renovictions

Draft bylaw would force landlords to provide 13-month payout, or alternate accommodations

(Black Press file photo)
A new residence with 45 housing units will be built at 865 Catherine St., and run by the Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness Society. (Google Maps)

$11.3M to create Island homes for Indigenous people experiencing homelessness

Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness housing to offer 24/7 culturally-appropriate supports

A new residence with 45 housing units will be built at 865 Catherine St., and run by the Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness Society. (Google Maps)
A construction worker on a lift works on one of a series of condo buildings under construction on Langley's 200th Street in June, 2021. Thousands of units of housing are under construction in Langley City and Township. (Matthew Claxton/Langley Advance Times)

EDITORIAL: Housing affordability a no-win situation

Someone is going to get hurt no matter what happens

  • Oct 20, 2021
A construction worker on a lift works on one of a series of condo buildings under construction on Langley's 200th Street in June, 2021. Thousands of units of housing are under construction in Langley City and Township. (Matthew Claxton/Langley Advance Times)
Langford developers have contributed to the city’s affordable housing fund with every rezoning request over the last five years. (Black Press Media file photo)

B.C. city promising select new homeowners up to 75% of their down payment

The city has earmarked $3 million in grants to help 250 families buy homes

Langford developers have contributed to the city’s affordable housing fund with every rezoning request over the last five years. (Black Press Media file photo)
The downtown Vancouver skyline is seen at sunset, as houses line a hillside in Burnaby, B.C., on Saturday, April 17, 2021. Home sales across Metro Vancouver remained well above the 10-year average in September, but the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver says prices haven’t climbed as sharply. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Home demand still outstrips supply in Metro Vancouver but price hikes slow: report

Composite benchmark price for all residential properties in Metro Vancouver just under $1.2 million

The downtown Vancouver skyline is seen at sunset, as houses line a hillside in Burnaby, B.C., on Saturday, April 17, 2021. Home sales across Metro Vancouver remained well above the 10-year average in September, but the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver says prices haven’t climbed as sharply. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
A new seniors housing facility is planned for the former Alberni District Secondary School site on Anderson Ave. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

‘Shovel-ready’ non-profit seniors’ housing coming to Port Alberni

Vancouver Resource Society purchases 2.5-acre lot from District Group

A new seniors housing facility is planned for the former Alberni District Secondary School site on Anderson Ave. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)
Kamal Sanghera of San Group of Companies discusses the concept behind the billion-dollar Pacific Mayfair Estates with Port Alberni mayor Sharie Minions on Thursday, Aug. 26, 2021. The company announced plans for the housing development in their new Port Alberni headquarters. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

San Group unveils $1.1-billion housing plan for Port Alberni

Master planned community includes environmentally sensitive area

Kamal Sanghera of San Group of Companies discusses the concept behind the billion-dollar Pacific Mayfair Estates with Port Alberni mayor Sharie Minions on Thursday, Aug. 26, 2021. The company announced plans for the housing development in their new Port Alberni headquarters. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau makes a campaign stop in Hamilton, Ont., on Tuesday, Aug 24, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Real estate industry worried Liberal housing plan won’t alleviate supply issues

‘It’s like saying, ‘come on in my store it’s 100 per cent off, but I don’t have any inventory’

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau makes a campaign stop in Hamilton, Ont., on Tuesday, Aug 24, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Mobile security gurard Judy Dreger has all she wants in her camper van, with lots of space for her buddies Dexter (left) and Raffi. (Zoe Ducklow/News Staff)

#vanlife not just for influencers, says Colwood security guard

Overnight security plus a place to sleep a win-win for van dweller

Mobile security gurard Judy Dreger has all she wants in her camper van, with lots of space for her buddies Dexter (left) and Raffi. (Zoe Ducklow/News Staff)
Saving for a down payment on a Greater Victoria home could take residents close to three decades, according to the latest Housing Affordability Monitor report from the National Bank of Canada. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick)

Bank says it will take 28 years to save up a down payment for a Greater Victoria home

Study finds home ownership moving further out of reach for residents with average household income

Saving for a down payment on a Greater Victoria home could take residents close to three decades, according to the latest Housing Affordability Monitor report from the National Bank of Canada. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick)
New homes are built in a housing construction development in the west end of Ottawa on Thursday, May 6, 2021. Parliament’s budget watchdog says the government is falling short of its aim of vastly expanding Canada’s affordable housing stock despite a spending ramp-up in the hundreds of millions of dollars. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Canada’s housing strategy having ‘limited’ impact on housing need, watchdog says

Government is falling short of its aim to vastly expand Canada’s affordable housing stock

New homes are built in a housing construction development in the west end of Ottawa on Thursday, May 6, 2021. Parliament’s budget watchdog says the government is falling short of its aim of vastly expanding Canada’s affordable housing stock despite a spending ramp-up in the hundreds of millions of dollars. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Students make a “tiny home” sign with their hands as part of the Tiny Home Challenge at John Paul II Catholic School. (ELENA RARDON / ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS)

Port Alberni school hosts pilot tiny homes competition

Competition had help from hosts of Netflix series Tiny House Nation

Students make a “tiny home” sign with their hands as part of the Tiny Home Challenge at John Paul II Catholic School. (ELENA RARDON / ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS)
Victoria developer Chris Le Fevre purchased an empty parking lot in Port Alberni’s uptown and plans to create Woodwards Village, a housing development that will be an homage to a popular department store that once used the lot for parking. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

Victoria developer sees housing potential in Port Alberni’s south side

Chris Le Fevre plans to convert former Woodward’s parking lot into homes

Victoria developer Chris Le Fevre purchased an empty parking lot in Port Alberni’s uptown and plans to create Woodwards Village, a housing development that will be an homage to a popular department store that once used the lot for parking. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
Randy Brown, owner of Wintergreen Apartments on Fourth Avenue, has five trailers and a motorhome at the back of his property that he is renting to people who had been previously homeless. He wants to put 15 trailers on his property, hooked up to city sewer and water and BC Hydro. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

EDITORIAL: Time for Alberni govt’s to deal with RVs used as housing

Two examples show disadvantages of ‘permanent’ housing on wheels

Randy Brown, owner of Wintergreen Apartments on Fourth Avenue, has five trailers and a motorhome at the back of his property that he is renting to people who had been previously homeless. He wants to put 15 trailers on his property, hooked up to city sewer and water and BC Hydro. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
The Nanaimo skyline. (Black Press Media files)

Looking for a new city to call home? Here are B.C.’s top 5 most affordable urban centres

Ranking considered affordability, economies and growing power for the cities

The Nanaimo skyline. (Black Press Media files)
New building developments, such as this one on Anderson Avenue, are popping up all over the Alberni Valley as the housing market continues to heat up. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

PROGRESS 2021: Port Alberni faces unique challenges with housing

Island city seen as one of the most desirable for homebuyers, but where does that leave residents

New building developments, such as this one on Anderson Avenue, are popping up all over the Alberni Valley as the housing market continues to heat up. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
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