Port Moody homes reborn as affordable housing as shíshálh Nation project reaches completion

A housing project built from homes once slated for demolition in Port Moody has been fully completed on the Sunshine Coast, delivering 17 below-market rental units to members of the shíshálh Nation.

The initiative – led by Renewal Development in partnership with Vancouver-based developer Wesgroup – involved rescuing 10 single-family homes from redevelopment sites in Port Moody and transporting them by truck and barge to the Sunshine Coast, where they were retrofitted and expanded to increase housing supply.

Once on site, the homes were modernized to improve energy efficiency, durability and comfort, while newly built basements beneath the structures added additional rental units – bringing the total to 17 homes for shíshálh Nation members.

Beyond housing delivery, the project emphasized local economic development. Roughly 70 percent of workers involved came from the shíshálh Nation community, supporting employment, training and business development.

“This project is about more than housing – it’s about creating opportunity and strengthening our community,” said shíshálh Nation Chief Lenora Joe (yalxwemult). “By partnering with organizations that respect our traditions, culture and priorities, we have delivered much-needed homes for our members while creating jobs, building skills, and investing directly in the future of our nation.”

Glyn Lewis, CEO and founder of Renewal Development, said the approach offers a practical alternative to widespread residential demolitions across British Columbia, where roughly 700 structurally sound homes are removed each year to make way for higher-density development.

“These good homes should be relocated, modernized and repurposed from growing urban areas to remote communities in need. This innovative housing solution, once replicated and scaled, can be part of the solution to our housing and climate crises,” he said. “It’s a model that delivers affordability, climate resilience, and community benefit all at once.”

The environmental benefits were substantial, with approximately one million kilograms of construction material diverted from landfills and an estimated 230,000 kilograms of greenhouse gas emissions avoided over a 60-year lifecycle. 

By reusing the high-quality homes instead of building new, planners say they have delivered housing 20 to 40 percent more affordable than what would be possible with conventional construction.

Wesgroup’s senior vice president of development, Dean Johnson, said the partnership allowed redevelopment to proceed in Port Moody while extending the useful life of existing homes.

“Projects like this show how thoughtful development and strong partnerships can increase housing supply, reduce waste, and deliver real community outcomes,” he said. “Through this collaboration, we were able to advance a new community that will ultimately house thousands of people, while ensuring existing homes continued to serve a meaningful purpose.”

The project has since received international recognition for sustainable prefabricated housing practices, including being showcased at the 2025 International Architecture Exhibition in Venice, and has been highlighted as a model for Indigenous partnerships in development.

Project partners say the completed community demonstrates how urban growth pressures can be turned into opportunities for affordability, sustainability and Indigenous-led economic development – transforming homes once destined for demolition into long-term housing on the Sunshine Coast.