Controversial new Richmond supportive housing to proceed after all | Daily Hive

BC government to proceed with new Richmond supportive housing project after all

Concept for permanent supportive housing at 3780 Sexsmith Road, Richmond. (BC Housing)

The Government of British Columbia will proceed with its proposal to build a new supportive housing project at a specific North Richmond site after all.

This follows its announcement at the end of August 2024, just before the start of the campaign period for the October 2024 provincial general election, that it would temporarily suspend its plans for the controversial project.

At the time, it was emphasized that the project was not cancelled, as the suspension would allow the provincial government to consider other possible locations and conduct more consultation.

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The proposed project site of 3780 Sexsmith Road — a vacant lot located just east of Continental Shopping Centre, Aberdeen Mall, and SkyTrain Aberdeen Station — would be turned into a permanent six-storey building with 90 supportive housing studio units operated by Community Builders.

This week, in a statement, Ravi Kahlon, the BC Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs, announced the project would proceed at 3780 Sexsmith Road, after determining that five other locations in Richmond are unsuitable for supportive housing.

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Location for permanent supportive housing at 3780 Sexsmith Road, Richmond. (BC Housing)

“Upon review, it was determined that these sites would not meet the needs for supportive housing for various reasons, such as location, lot size and proximity to key services. These are important factors that support residents’ abilities to stabilize their lives, successfully integrate within the community and access required services,” said Kahlon.

“After careful consideration and exploring all viable options within the community, we have determined the Sexsmith site remains the best option for a supportive housing site in Richmond.”

He also noted that part of the rationale to proceed with the site as originally proposed is that “shifting to a new location at this stage would require new project designs, adding significant delays to project completion.”

Kahlon asserts that there has been a “significant amount of misinformation” surrounding this project, with opponents — particularly nearby residents — expressing deep concerns over the potential for a rise in public disorder and safety, including increased crime, drug use, garbage, and other unwanted and illicit behaviour.

According to the Minister, this building will have 24/7 staffing and security features, including cameras, fencing, and lighting. Additionally, clean-up teams will help keep the surrounding areas tidy, and neighbours will be able to report concerns through a dedicated phone line managed by the non-profit housing operator.

However, in the past, residents living near existing supportive housing sites and facilities in Richmond and elsewhere in Metro Vancouver have claimed that governments and non-profit housing operators have failed to live up to their promises and have been unaccountable and unresponsive to issues that arise.

This project saw a significant show of public opposition in Summer 2024, including at least one protest that attracted an estimated 500 people and an online petition that has seen 3,800 signatures.

Concept for permanent supportive housing at 3780 Sexsmith Road, Richmond. (BC Housing)

Through BC Housing, the provincial government will now begin a new round of public consultation involving residents and businesses in the neighbourhood of the proposed site. This consultation will begin in March 2025.

At a later date, Richmond City Council will review the proposed project for final approval.

The provincial government is now likely giving greater attention to how it advances new supportive housing projects following the BC Court of Appeal’s December 2024 ruling against its previous approach to the controversial 13-storey Arbutus supportive housing project in Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighbourhood. It remains unclear whether the project will go through the City of Vancouver’s rezoning process again; the provincial government has indicated that it is reviewing the implications of the court’s decision.

Kahlon’s decision on the Richmond project’s location also comes after Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim’s announcement in January 2025 that he would move to pause the creation of any new additional supportive housing units within the Downtown Eastside, as the substantial growing concentration of supportive housing, SROs, and other facilities within the area has proven to be highly problematic and ineffective.

Sim emphasized the need for supportive housing and other facilities for people experiencing homelessness, mental health challenges, and addiction issues to be located in communities across Metro Vancouver — marking a shift from the longstanding approach of concentrating such housing and facilities within the city of Vancouver.

Currently, Vancouver is the location of 77% of the Metro Vancouver region’s total supportive housing supply, even though the city only accounts for 25% of the region’s population. As well, 67% of the region’s homeless shelter spaces and over half of the region’s social housing supply are found within Vancouver. Moreover, the vast majority of these social housing, supportive housing, and shelter spaces in Vancouver are within or near the Downtown Eastside.

Sim’s pause on supportive housing is a part of his new wider strategy to amend the City’s 2014-approved Downtown Eastside Area Plan to enable a wider range of housing for mixed incomes, as opposed to the current area plan’s 60-40 formula of 60% social/supportive housing and 40% market rental housing. Additionally, Sim is looking to crack down on gang activity that supports the opioid trade and fuels violence in the Downtown Eastside.

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