Saturday August 17, 2024 | ESQUIMALT, BC [Updated August 19, 2024]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
New housing for military personnel at CFB Esquimalt was announced by National Defence Minister Bill Blair last week in Victoria.
CFB Esquimalt will be the site of a new 480-room military housing project.
Blair was at the Victoria-area naval base on August 7 to announce a $10.1 million contract (to Ellis Don Corporation) for design work for the project, estimated to total about $165 million.
The August 7 announcement also included plans to build more homes on military bases. Budget 2024 makes additional investments for the Department of National Defence to build and renovate housing for CAF personnel on bases across Canada. This will support the construction of up to 1,400 new homes and the renovation of an additional 2,500 existing units for CAF members on base in communities such as Esquimalt, Edmonton, Borden, Trenton, Kingston, Petawawa, Ottawa, Valcartier, and Gagetown.
The new, modern highrise building will provide single-occupancy rooms, coffee shops, postal services and a dining area capable of serving 700 people. Completion is expected in the early 2030’s.
Estimated costs are subject to change as design progresses. About 900 jobs are expected to be sustained during construction, the federal government says.
It’s part of exploring redevelopment parts of National Defence properties for both military and civilian uses, Blair said.
Frees up housing in the general community:
During a housing crisis in the broader community, any new military housing that frees up some regular housing for other folks to rent or buy in the general community is another positive impact.
Housing Minister’s comment:
“I was very pleased to see Minister Blair’s announcement to create more housing at CFB Esquimalt,” says BC Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon.
“In 2023 and 2024 BC advocated to the federal government to redevelop CFB Esquimalt land to allow more military personnel and families to live on base, freeing up much needed housing supply in the larger community,” said Kahlon in a statement to Island Social Trends this week.
“Last week I met with Minister Blair to discuss how our governments can continue to work together to build more much needed housing for British Columbians,” said Kahlon.
“Our collaboration on BC Builds is a recent success story. I look forward to continuing our discussions with Minister Blair and other members of the federal Cabinet about this type of project and whether it can be applied to other military sites in B.C. In the meantime, we will continue to explore how to best leverage provincial Crown lands to build more housing for British Columbians, while encouraging the federal government to do the same.
Local MLA’s comment:
“Military families living on and around the Esquimalt base can struggle to find affordable and suitable housing in our communities, like many families I hear from,” said Mitzi Dean, MLA for Esquimalt-Metchosin.
“We welcome investments being made and work being done to increase housing on CFB Esquimalt and look forward to more federal-provincial collaboration in the future to continue serving people in our community,” said Dean in a statement to Island Social Trends this week.
Esquimalt municipal comment:
“The Township of Esquimalt has long enjoyed a positive relationship with CFB Esquimalt and we welcome more military members to our community,” says Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins.
“The proximity to the base will allow the new residents to take full advantage of our many amenities like parks, cycling routes, local businesses and more,” says Desjardins, who has been mayor there since 2008 and chaired the Capital Regional District (CRD) board in 2016 and 2017.
Victoria Chamber weighs in:
“The Chamber’s effort to advocate for investment in military housing is proving timely, as the federal government has already begun taking action,” as stated in the Victoria Chamber of Commerce newsletter this week.
Canada’s Minister of National Defence announced the construction of a new 480-room accommodation facility for Canadian Armed Forces members at CFB Esquimalt. The investment is a win for The Chamber’s resolution, which called for “2,000 units on or adjacent to military bases per year from 2025 until 2030,” the Chamber says.
The Minister also noted that the government is reviewing the entire federal lands portfolio to identify more lands that are not fully utilized and could be unlocked to build more homes for Canadian Armed Forces members and civilians.
This week, the federal government announced more than $6.7 million to support two projects as part of the new Veteran Homelessness Program. This program shows the relevance of The Chamber’s resolution, which also called on the federal government to “develop diverse housing options to accommodate the varied needs of military personnel at different stages of their careers.”
The Chamber policy resolution will go to the membership of the Canadian Chamber in October for formal approval.
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