A proposed project, which could see 77 childcare spaces created with affordable housing units built above, is one step closer to becoming a reality.
At a committee of the whole meeting April 9, District of Sechelt (DOS) council approved a motion that will initiate the rezoning, subdivision and land-transfer processes for the mixed-use building at 6000 Lighthouse Ave., adjacent to Kinnikinnick Elementary School. The zoning amendment bylaw can receive three readings at one council meeting and then be adopted at a second council meeting. Subsequently, the land transfer can then be completed.
According to a staff report, the land is occupied by Suncoast Racquet Club on the north end, requiring the childcare section to be subdivided off to facilitate a joint ownership parcel. Subdivision and rezoning can be initiated concurrently.
This initiative is a collaborative effort involving the Ministry of Education and Child Care (MECC), BC Housing and the Sunshine Coast Affordable Housing Society. MECC is contributing $5.4 million towards the project with the remainder to be financed by BC Housing. The daycare is to include 37 spaces for infants to children five-years-old, and 40 for before-and-after-school care.
Rezoning will address site-specific permitted uses and other regulations, including height and setbacks, as needed for the project. As the proposed rezoning is deemed consistent with the district’s Official Community Plan, a public hearing is not permitted for the rezoning portion of the project.
Naomi Brunemeyer, director of regional development for BC Housing, who attended the meeting by Zoom, told council the affordable housing would have a low-to-moderate income threshold with a target tenant who lives independently and is employed, such as first responders or nurses.
A certain number of the units will be dedicated to workers employed at the daycare, due to the fact housing has been an issue for similar operations unable to hire staff because they can’t find anywhere to live. Of the approximate 27 units, Brunemeyer said fewer than 10 would be reserved for daycare staff, while likely another three would be available to management and maintenance staff of the building itself.
Coun. Brenda Rowe said she was grateful to see the report. She noted a few years ago the YMCA, which operates the majority of childcare options on the Coast, was forced to bring staff over from Vancouver, because some daycare spaces weren’t being filled due to a lack of workers.
“I'm glad to see that this includes, I believe, the funding for this to be lower fees for the parents and also wage top-up for the staff, which will help,” said Rowe. “This group of staff are not highly paid and so housing was really identified in early talks with providers on the Coast and in meetings that we had at UBCM in my last term.
"Being able to offer housing as an incentive, I think it's going to be huge, not just for Sechelt but for the Coast because it will have a trickle-down effect," said Rowe.
During the meeting, Amber Osadan-Ullman and Mariazel Rios Motte, project managers with Colliers Project Leaders, which is heading up the proposal, presented a 20-page report detailing what’s been done to date and next steps.
Land transfer
The report noted BC Housing’s capital funds are equity-based and can only be applied once title has been transferred to them. So, the land title transfer is to be completed at project confirmation instead of at completion, which helps avoid borrowing costs to develop the residential portion of the work. The rent paid by tenants will cover maintenance, operations and long-term asset renewal and the ownership will be a joint strata between BC Housing and DOS.
Over the next six to eight months, a consulting team will be created, due diligence will be carried out where needed, work will begin on the rezoning and subdividing of the parcel of land, a financial analysis will be completed and the budget will be confirmed. The project is expected to be completed in about three years.
