Two seniors housing projects now under construction in Coquitlam

A year after getting the go-ahead from Coquitlam council, ground finally broke on 158 new affordable rental units for seniors on Monday.

A total of 42 homes are set to be built at 290 Laval Square in Maillardville with another 116 units in a six-storey building at the former Lions Care Centre on Clayton Street in Burquitlam-Lougheed. The project is a collaboration between the province, the city, and social service agency S.U.C.C.E.S.S.

Designed to help seniors live independently, the units are set to be either accessible or adaptable, according to a release from the province.

“The seniors who helped shape our communities should have the option to stay in them,” stated B.C.’s Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs Christine Boyle in a press release.

More options for affordable seniors homes are “deeply needed,” added New Westminster-Coquitlam MLA Jennifer Whiteside.

Coquitlam picked the city-owned sites to help meet that need, stated Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart.

“Addressing the need for affordable housing requires leadership at every level, and municipalities have an important role to play,” he stated. “The result will be 158 affordable homes where seniors can age in place with dignity, independence and connection to the community they call home.”

The province chipped in approximately $26 million to fund the projects on Laval and Clayton. The two sites have an estimated total value of $16.6 million. To make the project feasible, the city waived more than $3 million in development cost charges

Social service agency S.U.C.C.E.S.S is set to hold the lease and assume the city’s responsibilities as owner.

“S.U.C.C.E.S.S. is a proud to partner in delivering these much-needed homes for seniors in Coquitlam,” stated S.U.C.C.E.S.S. CEO Queenie Choo. “We are committed to creating inclusive communities that enhance quality of life and reflect the diverse needs of the people we serve.”

The units at Laval Square range from 471 to 562 square feet. The project includes three accessible and 39 adaptable units.

The Burquitlam development totals 116 units including 13 studio units and two two-bedroom units.

The studios range from 378 to 432 square feet. The one-bedroom units range from 494 to 577 sq. ft.

The lands were rezoned from institutional to medium density apartment residential in 2022.

The city previously projected seniors would make up 19 percent of the city’s population in 2031, a nearly four percent increase from 2021.