The new site will prioritize residents who are at-risk of or experiencing homelessness
Nelson is set to receive a new supportive housing building that will prioritize people at-risk of or experiencing homelessness.
Nelson CARES announced Monday it will operate BC Housing’s vacant building at 45 Government Rd., in the city’s Railtown district.
The four-storey, approximately 30,000 square-foot complex will add 43 units of housing and feature 24-7 support staff for residents who will have access to a range of health-care, mental-health and substance-use services.
Sarah Magee, Nelson CARES’ executive director, said the site will take pressure off the city’s emergency shelter Stepping Stones when it opens next year. A point-in-time count conducted in November 2024 found 122 people experiencing some form of homelessness, including 40 who were completely unsheltered, in Nelson.
“We have a full shelter. We are consistently at capacity in that facility and we know based on the point-in-time count that there are still a significant number of people who are sheltering outside. So we want to give those folks the opportunity to come indoors and provide more stable, long-term housing for our shelter guests.”
Magee compared the new building to the former North Shore Inn, which was bought by BC Housing in 2022. Nelson CARES moved 28 unhoused people into temporary units at the inn last year while the structure undergoes extensive renovations.
Police and local front-line workers have credited the North Shore Inn site with providing housing as well as contributing to a calmer neighbourhood around Stepping Stones, where nearby residents have complained about disturbances and crime.
Stepping Stones will remain open, and Magee said the new site is in an area that she doesn’t believe will cause conflict with the community. Although the new site is zoned for mixed residential and commercial use, the neighbourhood around it is largely commercial.
“It’s still close to downtown, so folks are able to access services, but it is situated closer to more industrial areas and less residential neighbourhoods. The hope is that there is less impact on neighbours and community, and folks are still able to access the services that they need.”
The building at 45 Government Rd. has had a tumultuous history without any tenants ever having moved in.
The then-empty site was originally pitched in 2019 as a privately owned cannabis production facility. The building was still under construction when in 2021, only months before it was to open, the owners announced they were backing out of the project due to financial uncertainty in the cannabis industry.
In January, BC Housing announced it had agreed to purchase the site and convert it into affordable housing.
“We know people experiencing homelessness benefit from homes with access to life skills training and other supports,” said Housing Minister Christine Boyle in a statement.
“These homes will greatly impact the Nelson community by providing people with connection and services to help them stabilize their lives. Working with our housing partners, we will continue bringing people indoors, keeping people safe and making our communities stronger.”
Even though it was originally envisioned as a commercial production facility, Magee said the concrete exterior is perfect for Nelson CARES’ needs.
“It’s incredibly sturdy. It’s essentially prefabricated, which makes it remarkably durable. So the maintenance costs will be lower, people will be able to live very securely, we don’t have issues with sound transference. It’s a great design for supported living.”