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Retrofit to add 18 new seniors units to Austin Avenue

By Jeremy Shepherd

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November 16, 2025

file photo Jeremy Shepherd

Christmas has come early to Christmas Apartments.

Coquitlam council voted unanimously earlier this month to pitch in $180,000 on a retrofit of the L.J. Christmas Apartments building in order to create 18 new units for seniors.

The retrofit of the Austin Avenue building is expected to add space enough for two new studios per floor, according to building operator Burquitlam Senior Housing Society.

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Six of the new units are set to be rented at a maximum of the 80 percent of the median market rate.

All of the units must remain non-market rentals for 20 years or the life of the building.

The retrofit is expected to extend the life of the 55-year-old building by 30 to 40 years, according to the society.

The new units are all designed to be walker-friendly.

The project is also financed by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

Council approved the deal without discussion on Nov. 3.

Author

Jeremy Shepherd

A chiropractor and a folk singer, after having one great kid, decided to push their luck and have one more, a boy they named Jeremy Shepherd.

Shepherd grew up around Blue Mountain Park in Coquitlam, following a basketball around and trying his best to get to the NBA (it didn’t work out, at least not yet).

With no career plans after graduating Porter Elementary school, Jeremy Shepherd pursued higher education at Como Lake Middle School and eventually, Centennial High School.

Approximately 1,000 movies and several beers later in life, Shepherd made a change.

Having done nothing worth writing, he decided to see if he could write something worth reading.

Since graduating journalism school at Langara College, Shepherd has been a reporter, editor and, reluctantly, a content provider for community newspapers around Metro Vancouver for more than 10 years.

He worked with dogged reporters, eloquently indignant curmudgeons and creative photographers, all of whom shared a little of what they knew.

Now, as he goes about the business of raising two fascinating humans alongside a wonderful partner, Shepherd is delighted to report news and tell stories in the Tri-Cities.

He runs, reads, and is intrigued by art, science, smart cities and new ideas. He is pleased to meet you.