Fort St John will begin working to fill provincially subsidized vacant units after their freedom of information request revealed the city’s vacancy rate is 10 per cent higher than the average for the community.
The information was provided while Fort St John city council discussed new items at the tail end of their July 28 regular council meeting. City councillor Trevor Bolin said the council should require quarterly reports from B.C. Housing.
Bolin’s comments come after it was revealed through a city-submitted freedom of information request the provincial subsidized housing units are operating with vacancy rate of nearly 15 per cent – compared to the 4.8 per cent community average.
“It took us six months and a FOI request to get that (vacancy) information, and it shouldn’t,” said Bolin during the meeting. “If we’re truly a partner to B.C. Housing and the province, we need to share that information. Their 15 per cent immediately impacts Fort St John.”
B.C. Housing responded to the council’s concerns in a statement for My Peace Region Now.
A spokesperson said, “B.C. Housing recognizes the need to provide safe, affordable homes for people in Fort St John and across the province and works to make vacant units available to new renters as soon as possible.”
The housing group confirmed council’s vacancy rate as 14.8 per cent, or 24 of the 164 directly managed units. These numbers include the Heritage Manor II assisted living facility, which is operated by Northern Health.
“Of those 24 homes, eight are in the process of being rented out with applications currently being reviewed and individuals being placed. The other 16 are in various stages of repair and should be available to people throughout the fall,” said B.C. Housing.
The organization published a report on homelessness in the province in 2023 and found 11,352 people in the province did not have homes.
Of those, 102 people who experience homelessness reside in Fort St John, and 76 per cent sought a homeless shelter to spend an overnight, though B.C. Housing’s survey did not specifically ask which organization provided the housing.
“I truly feel that, at 15 per cent, this has gotten away from them, and us,” Bolin told his fellow councillors.
According to city council, B.C. Housing’s northern regional councillor previously told members he intends on visiting for an in-person meeting annually – as a result, the council requested quarterly reports be sent in writing, such as an email.
The council unanimously moved to request a letter be sent to the appropriate provincial ministers, including Minster of Housing and Municipal Affairs Christine Boyle, asking for these vacant units to be filled.
