by Amy Smart, The Canadian Press

Published in the Vancouver Sun

April 16, 2021

Quote from the Vancouver Sun article:

The B.C. government is investing $2 billion in a low-interest loan program for builders of affordable housing.

Housing Minister David Eby said Thursday the financing will be offered to private developers and community groups through the province’s HousingHub program, a division of B.C. Housing.

The funding will target projects for renters and buyers with average household incomes of $75,000.

Eby said the loans will be provided at below-market rates and in return, developers will commit to passing the construction savings on to residents through more affordable rents and housing prices.

The loans will be repaid once construction is complete, allowing HousingHub to reinvest in more units, he added.

Finance Minister Selina Robinson said the funding is part of Budget 2021, which will be unveiled in full next week.

“For far too long, housing in British Columbia was viewed as a commodity and a tool for building wealth, rather than a basic necessity of a home,” said Robinson, who was the housing minister before taking on the finance portfolio.

“The simple truth is, affordable housing is life changing.”

Click here to read entire article on the Vancouver Sun website.