Coquitlam announces plans to house nearly 140 seniors in two new buildings
Two developments of three and six storeys to be built by 2027
Coquitlam is building two new developments that will house over 100 seniors, the city announced in a press release last week.
The city has partnered with S.U.C.C.E.S.S., a social service agency, to construct a pair of seniors rental housing developments on two city-owned properties in the Lougheed-Burquitlam and Maillardville areas.
A proposed three-story rental apartment at 290 Laval Square is expected to provide 37 units for seniors.
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Additionally, more than 100 seniors are slated to live at a future six-storey residency at 602 Sydney Avenue, the former location of the Burquitlam Lions Care Centre.
“Coquitlam is leading the way to bolster housing supply by providing two pieces of city-owned land to serve the needs of our community and to help address the housing crisis in our region,” Mayor Richard Stewart stated in a press release.
The announcement comes a little over one year after Coquitlam initially issued a request for proposals for companies interested in developing the lands.
The city selected S.U.C.C.E.S.S., which was founded in 1973, based on a variety of factors, many of which related to the organization’s development and management experience. Queenie Choo, CEO of S.U.C.C.E.S.S., stated that the non-profit operates nearly 1,000 housing units across Metro Vancouver.
“We’re eager to bring our expertise to this project to ensure Coquitlam seniors can live independently longer and age well in their own neighbourhoods,” Choo declared.
Seniors are one of the fastest growing demographics in Coquitlam.
Seniors are projected to make up 19 per cent of the city’s population in 2031, a nearly four per cent increase from 2021.
Over the next 10 years, the city is expecting nearly 8,000 new senior-led households, homes that are led by an individual over the age of 65, according to a 2022 city-led housing report.
Although many of those seniors will be able to live independently, the city wrote in a press release, assisted living and affordable housing units will be needed to meet the rising senior population in Coquitlam.
S.U.C.C.E.S.S. is providing the city with a $250,000 advance for pre-development costs, and is expected to help Coquitlam work towards securing provincial and federal funding for the two new developments.
Construction could begin as soon as next year, with both developments completed by 2027.
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