Canada, BC invest in public social housing retrofits 

Victoria — Nine public social housing buildings and one service building in British Columbia will benefit from improved ventilation, thanks to the combined investment of more than $4.8 million from the federal and provincial governments. Announced by Minister Sean Fraser and Minister Ravi Kahlon, these projects will improve the health and safety of occupants and staff.

One of these buildings, Mary Cridge Manor in Victoria, provides housing services for survivors of brain injury. It also allows people to stay for up to three years while undergoing a rehabilitative program. Funding will help support the maintenance of the facility by replacing energy-recovery ventilation, heat pumps, a make-up air unit, and exhaust fans in the kitchen. Once completed, this project will increase the building’s access to clean air, ensuring those most at risk are better protected against pollutants while seeking treatment.

Also, the Beacon Hotel, Irving Hotel (previously known as Sunrise Hotel), Hotel Canada, Molson’s Bank Building (Roosevelt Hotel), Maple Hotel (previously known as Washington Hotel) and Orange Hall – a BC Housing office that provides services for people in the Downtown Eastside – will also see upgrades to their ventilation systems. Improvements will bring fresh air in from outside and deliver it more effectively to rooms within, ensuring residents and staff breathe cleaner air.

In Merritt, Burnaby, and Chase, ventilation improvement projects will increase outdoor air intake and air cleaning for public social housing buildings. Upgrades include replacing furnaces, air conditioning units, and condensing units. Once complete, these provincially-owned buildings in British Columbia will benefit from reduced energy usage, which will ultimately contribute to a cleaner and more comfortable environment for everyone.