Whitehorse non-profit pushing ahead with $43M seniors' housing complex in Whistle Bend

The Yukon government has given a funding boost to a Whitehorse non-profit that's planning to build a new seniors' housing complex in the Whistle Bend neighbourhood.

The Vimy Heritage Housing Society received $1 million from the territory's Housing Initiative Fund.

"The idea is to get us going," said Ranjit Sarin, the president of the society.

The organization is planning to build a four-storey complex with 75 units, on Casca Boulevard in Whistle Bend. The majority of the 75 apartments in the building — called Rowan Place — will be one-bedroom units, some with dens, and there will also be eight two-bedroom units.

Sarin said the idea is to provide housing options for low- to middle-income seniors who still want to live independently. Tenants will be able to do everything for themselves "except shovel snow," Sarin said.

"We're trying to make sure that people who are retiring stay in the community, and they have a better life and they don't go into the personal care homes before they have to," he said.

Sarin said about three-quarters of the units are already spoken for. That means those tenants have put down a deposit.

The $43-million project has already been years in the making. The Vimy Heritage Housing Society was formed in 2013.

The design work on the building is still underway. Sarin said he wants to keep things moving as quickly as possible before costs go up. 

"The longer we wait, it's going to go up, especially with the things happening down south — we don't know where they're going to finish up with the costs of the things. So the quicker we get going, the better it is," Sarin said.

The society has already raised about $16 to $17 million, he said, and is also applying for other grants and financial supports, with the rest coming from a mortgage with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). He said they're in the "final stages of submitting our application" to CMHC.  

Sarin said people who have put deposits down are eager to see the building go up, so they can move in. 

"We did our homework, we did market surveys, we did advertising ... and as a result, we have a fairly loyal clientele who is ready," he said.

"There are many people like me, middle to lower-income, who need something like this and who can't afford fancy units in Vancouver."