Families and seniors in New Denver have access to 10 new affordable rental homes, with the opening of the Osprey Residence.
Located on 602 Slocan Ave., the two-storey building provides a mix of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units, including four fully accessible homes, to meet the diverse needs of the community. The Osprey Residence includes two green spaces to foster a sense of community among residents and is well connected to nearby services and amenities.
The project is a result of a partnership between the Province, through BC Housing, the federal government, through Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Columbia Basin Trust (Trust) , the Village of New Denver and the New Denver and Area Housing Society (NDHAS).
“The Village of New Denver is pleased with the opening of the Osprey, which provides a much needed
10-unit building. The Osprey is aesthetically pleasing, complete with beautiful landscaping and ample parking,” said Leonard Casley, mayor, Village of New Denver. “I would like to thank BC Housing for working with us through a few challenges the village had to overcome and we look forward to working with them as we move forward with other adventures to create much more needed housing in our area.
NDAHS was the original non-profit partner for the project, and is now in the process of transferring ownership and operations to the Slocan Valley Housing Society.
“We are so very happy that we were able to build this housing complex for our community with the help of all our partners,” said Jan McMurray, president, New Denver and Area Housing Society. “Thank you to all our funders and local donors, and a huge shout-out to our development partner, New Commons Development, and the Slocan Valley Housing Society. The project greatly benefited from their experience and expertise.”
Rents range depending on unit size and tenant income. The Osprey provides deep-subsidy units, units with rent geared to income for people with low or moderate incomes, and affordable market units for people with moderate incomes.
“These 10 new homes are part of our work to make sure people have access to quality, affordable homes in communities like New Denver and other rural areas across the province,” said Katrine Conroy, MLA for Kootenay West. “I am very grateful to the Village, the federal government, Columbia Basin Trust and the New Denver and Area Housing Society for working with us to build a healthier, stronger community.”
The Trust has committed a total contribution of $603,000 to the project. The Osprey Residence is part of the the Affordable Rental Housing Initiative, a joint program between BC Housing and the Trust initiated in 2021.
“Increasing and maintaining affordable housing in the Basin is critical. We’re thrilled to join this project by supporting capital expenses and the installation of solar panels and high-speed fibre, said Johnny Strilaeff, President and CEO for Columbia Basin Trust . “This project exemplifies collaboration, benefiting families, single parents, and seniors. Congratulations to New Denver and Area Housing Society, and all partners.”
Since 2016, the Trust has committed over $76.8 million toward initiatives that help create new affordable rental housing, conserve energy, and generate renewable and alternative energy. These initiatives have helped create over 1,100 affordable rental homes in the Basin and upgraded another 1,670, are creating energy savings of approximately 7 million equivalent kilowatt hours per year and help save $778,000 in annual operating costs for non-profit affordable housing societies.
Learn more about the Trust’s Housing Initiative at ourtrust.org/housing.
Read the full release here.
