Former RCMP building to house homeless in Gibsons, B.C.

GIBSONS, B.C. — A former RCMP building in Gibsons, B.C., is in discussions to be used to house the homeless.

Ottawa plans to transfer the land to the town which can then build 40 self-contained studio homes with onsite support. The project will be funded by the province.

The facility will be operated by RainCity housing, which already has a presence in Gibsons with a temporary winter shelter.

The plan still must go through a rezoning and development-permit application process. Several community dialogue sessions and a community open house will take place in the coming months, with representatives from BC Housing, Vancouver Coastal Health, the Town of Gibsons and RainCity Housing on hand to answer questions and receive input.

If approved, officials expect work would begin this fall and the facility would be operational by spring 2020.

“Partnerships such as these with the Town of Gibsons, BC Housing and RainCity Housing are integral in building capacity for communities to prevent and reduce homelessness,” said Jean-Yves Duclos, federal minister of families, in a press release. “By repurposing federal properties that have outlived their original use, collectively we are able to create safe, secure and affordable housing for the most vulnerable populations.”