Affordable housing in Greater Victoria gets $60M boost from province, CRD

The provincial governmentis contributing $30 million to help ease the affordable housing shortage in B.C.'s Capital Regional District.

The CRD has also agreed to borrow $30 million to help with the issue.

CRD board chair BarbDesjardinssays the combined $60 million isenough to get started on a housing first plan for the region's most vulnerable people.

"We know that housing people really helps in addressing many of their other healthcare and other mental health needs," Desjardins said.

Those who work with the homeless say the fundingcan't come soon enough.

A recent count found that there are 1,400 people in Greater Victoria who don't have access to housing.

"This will really help us," said GrantMckenzie, a spokesperson forOur Place,a group that helps people transition from the street.

"Once we get people stabilized, and ready for housing, there should be housing for them to go to," he said.

Ahomeless camp on the lawn of Victoria's courthouse has been in place since last fall, much to the discontent of nearby residents who complain of discarded needles, noise and human waste.

The province recently said it will beinstalling running water and a flushing toilet for the roughly 100 people livingat the tent city.

It's unclear how many affordable units can be built with the combined $60 million dollars,but the province and the CRD say their goal is toreduce the homeless population in the region by 2018.