Construction begins on housing for seniors in Burnaby
Seniors with low to moderate incomes in Burnaby will soon have access to 155 new affordable rental homes as construction starts on a new project in the community.
“These 155 new homes will give seniors in Burnaby a safe and affordable place to live and age in place,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing. “Our government shares the community’s excitement in seeing the building open and will continue to work with our partners to support seniors’ housing needs.”
Located at 4277 Norland Ave., the six-storey wood-framed development will feature 154 one-bedroom homes and one studio unit. All units will be adaptable or accessible, allowing the suites to be easily and inexpensively modified to meet residents’ needs as they age. The building will include indoor amenity space, laundry, outdoor patio space and underground parking. Monthly rents are projected to range from $375 to approximately $1,400, depending on unit size and tenant income.
“This new apartment building will provide seniors in Burnaby with quality and affordable homes in an integrated seniors residence community, close to friends and loved ones,” said Janet Routledge, MLA for Burnaby North. “Thank you to all of our project partners for working to improve the quality of life of seniors in Burnaby.”
The Dania Society, an experienced non-profit housing provider that has operated in the community since 1938, will own and operate the building. The project is located on the Dania Campus of Care, which has three other seniors’ housing residences.
“How a tired old Dane from Alberta who had a wish to live in comfort in a farmhouse could ever have envisioned 80 years later that more than 350 Canadians would be residing at the Dania Home campus is a remarkable journey,” said Paul Christensen, president, Dania Society.
The Province, through BC Housing, is providing approximately $17 million to the project, through the Building BC: Community Housing Fund, and will provide an annual operating subsidy of approximately $946,000. The Dania Society provided the land, valued at $13.2 million, and the City of Burnaby is contributing a grant of approximately $1.6 million from its Community Benefit Bonus Affordable Housing Reserve.
“This project is fantastic news for independent Burnaby seniors who want to stay in our city as they age,” said Mike Hurley, mayor, Burnaby. “Through valuable partnerships like this with other governments and non-profit providers, we’re working together to build more affordable housing than ever at a time when it’s so desperately needed. Let’s keep it coming.”
The building is expected to be complete in early 2025.
This project is part of B.C.’s 10-year, $7-billion housing plan. Since 2017, the Province has funded more than 36,000 affordable new homes that have been completed or are underway for people in B.C., including nearly 3,000 homes in Burnaby.
Quick Facts:
- The Community Housing Fund is a 10-year, $1.9-billion investment to build more than 14,000 affordable rental homes for people with moderate or low incomes.
- Nearly 9,000 of these homes are open, under construction or in development.
- Dania Society initially purchased the 1.7-hectare property at the corner of Canada Way and Norland Ave. in 1941 and built Dania Home, a retirement home for Danish seniors in 1944. A new Dania Home opened on the campus in 2015, leaving the site available for the new project.
- The Dania Campus of Care has grown to 2.8 hectares and includes Dania Home, Dania Manor and Carl Mortensen Manor.
Learn More:
A map showing the location of all announced provincially funded housing projects in B.C. is available online: https://www.bchousing.org/homes-for-BC
To learn more about the steps the Province is taking to tackle the housing crisis and deliver affordable homes for British Columbians, visit: https://workingforyou.gov.bc.ca/