METRO Vancouver, through its non-profit Metro Vancouver Housing, in partnership with the Province, through BC Housing, and the City of Burnaby, has started construction on two family-oriented, non-market rental housing projects.
“Metro Vancouver Housing is one of the largest non-profit housing providers in the region, and I’m extremely proud of the work that we’re doing to help address the housing crisis and keep this region livable for current and future residents,” said Metro Vancouver Board Chair Mike Hurley on Wednesday. “Metro Vancouver Housing is a trusted housing provider that has demonstrated that it can deliver and operate high-quality homes for people of different ages, abilities, and income levels.”
The Steller, centrally located in the Edmonds Town Centre neighbourhood, will help address the critical need for non-market rental housing and affordable child care in Burnaby by providing 122 new homes for families and individuals. The Connection, which is located at 7786 and 7792 6th Street, will replace 30 aging townhouses with 174 apartments. Both projects will include new child care spaces.
“In a time of economic uncertainty, working families are facing rising costs, and we’re helping them find a place to live that’s within their budget,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing. “We’re also investing in the core services that set up families for success, including expanding access to child care. We’re happy to work with all levels of government and our housing partners, to create more affordable rental homes for people in the communities they love.”
In April 2023, the Province, through BC Housing, signed a memorandum of understanding with Metro Vancouver, through Metro Vancouver Housing, that will see approximately 2,000 below-market homes built over the next 10 years. The first phase is underway and will provide approximately 500 new homes on four sites supported by a provincial investment of $120 million. As part of this phase, nearly $30 million will be allocated to The Steller and almost $42 million to The Connection.
To build new non-market housing around the region, Metro Vancouver partners with member jurisdictions that provide land. As part of this program, the City of Burnaby will lease, at a nominal rate, a city-owned lot at 7388 Southwynde Avenue to Metro Vancouver Housing so that The Steller can be built. The city has also supported the projects through streamlining development approvals and has provided an $8.3-million grant for The Steller and just over $12 million for The Connection to help offset development charges and fees and provide deeper affordability.
“The City of Burnaby is proud to partner on projects like this that deliver the housing our community needs,” said Burnaby City Councillor Pietro Calendino. “These two projects will fill important gaps and as a city we are continuously seeking ways to make it easier to get these types of projects built.”
All homes at The Steller and The Connection will provide much-needed non-market housing, with rents set to serve a range of low- to moderate-income households. About half of the units will be family-oriented two- or three-bedroom homes, and all units will be accessible or meet universal design standards to support people with disabilities and seniors.
Indoor and outdoor tenant amenities will provide flexible, multi-use spaces for people of all ages. The building will be designed with energy efficiency in mind, providing tenant comfort while supporting regional climate goals.
“The Steller and The Connection are prime examples of how Metro Vancouver Housing is making a difference in the lives of the region’s residents,” said Dan Ruimy, Chair of Metro Vancouver’s Housing Committee. “I’ve had the opportunity to see and learn about several Metro Vancouver Housing projects and I’m always impressed by the care put into the designs and the quality homes that result, as well as the concerted effort to build inclusive, healthy, and engaged communities.”
The ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund is providing more than $2.3 million to create 37 new child care spaces at The Steller and $260,074 to create an eight-space child care facility at The Connection. This fund is jointly supported by provincial investments and federal funding provided under the 2021-2022 to 2025-2026 Canada-British Columbia Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement. British Columbia and the federal government signed an extension to the Agreement for 2026-2027 to 2030-2031.
“We are so proud to partner on projects like The Steller and The Connection, that are helping to deliver core services like child care and housing for families in Burnaby,” said Rohini Arora, parliamentary secretary for child care. “Supporting the creation of new child care spaces when we develop new housing projects is an important way we’re helping working families, single parents, and especially women in our community. And it is just one of the ways our government is making life better for hard-working families and helping them to get ahead. Since 2018, we have funded more than 1,900 child care spaces in Burnaby and I’m excited that these projects will provide even more.”
Metro Vancouver Housing has over 3,400 below-market rental homes on 49 sites across the region, serving close to 10,000 people. A trusted non-profit housing provider since 1974, Metro Vancouver Housing is an experienced developer and operator that delivers, maintains, and operates high-quality housing that is built to last. To meet the growing demand for housing, Metro Vancouver is in a phase of building new affordable rental housing, redeveloping and expanding existing sites, and renewing existing units across the region. There are approximately 800 new homes underway in seven projects, and a further 760 homes at the design and approvals stage in four projects.
“There’s tremendous need for more affordable rental housing in Burnaby, and I’m thrilled that more of our friends, families, and elders will soon have a place to call their own,” said Paul Choi, MLA for Burnaby South-Metrotown. “These new homes will support the people who work in local businesses, schools, and hospitals, helping them find a place to live close to their jobs and improving access to child care. This is a step forward toward building a stronger more connected Burnaby where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.”
Construction on The Steller and The Connection is expected to be completed in 2027.
