Richmond quashes controversial supportive housing project

The City of Richmond has revoked approval for a supportive housing project, citing community opposition and claiming the province hasn't been transparent.

Richmond is terminating a supportive housing project after widespread community backlash.

Mayor Malcolm Brodie and several councillors told reporters that the city is scrapping plans for a 90-unit supportive housing building proposed for the city-owned lot at the intersection of Cambie and Sexsmith roads.

The mayor explained that the decision to end the government-funded project follows a recent announcement by the minister of housing that the province would relaunch the project, after placing it on hold prior to the last provincial election while it examined alternative locations.

“Council heard loud and clear from the community that it had concerns with this location and that the provincial government alarmed residents when it suspended the process before reinstating it,” said Brodie.

He says the recent flip-flops by the provincial government made the project untenable. He pointed to a lack of transparency about five other possible sites, which he says the province apparently reviewed prior to returning to the Cambie and Sexsmith location.

“Neither council nor city staff have been told the location of those five sites, nor how they were supposedly evaluated,” wrote Brodie in a statement.

On Thursday, B.C. Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs Ravi Kahlon told CTV News that he is disappointed with Richmond’s actions. He says the province was told the Sexsmith and Cambie location was the only option.

“We canvased and identified that there was no other locations. We actually did notify their staff well in advance of the announcement. In fact, we also offered to give them the information about the sites,” said Kahlon.

The minister went on to say that a team from BC Housing was preparing files for the city.

By 2027, Kahlon says, two temporary supportive housing sites in Richmond will have leases expiring, and he fears that that 90 people could potentially end up on the streets as a result.

Last week, the province announced the project would be moving forward, sparking renewed outrage form the community.

The Richmond Chamber of Commerce (RCC) has spoken to businesses who have raised concerns around safety and the possibility of crime increasing if the supportive housing units are constructed in the neighbourhood.

“They’re feeling relief. They’ve expressed some concerns in the past over the project, and they’re cheering the cancellation,” said Shaena Furlong, the president and CEO of the RCC.

Furlong went on to say that businesses in Richmond are not opposed to supportive housing and feel as though it wasn’t clear what the supportive housing would be.

Amanda Burrows, a housing advocate and the executive director at First United, believes supportive housing has the opposite effect on crime and safety, relative to what the businesses fear, due to its supportive nature.

Burrows echoed Kahlon’s concern that without additional options, more people will be on the streets and crime could potentially rise as a result.

Brodie said future supportive housing projects must proceed in an “acceptable location” with due process.