FORT ST. JOHN -- A ground-breaking ceremony for a new senior’s living complex was held in Fort St. John Monday.
Dignitaries and city council members were in attendance, putting shovels in the ground to mark the start of construction on the Harlequin City Centre, a four-story, 115-unit complex for those 55 and older.
“We’ve been waiting for additional housing for seniors in Fort St. John for decades,” said Mayor Lilia Hansen.
The City of Fort St. John donated the land off 100th Street where the Fort St. John hospital once stood to non-profit developer VRS Communities, who paid just a dollar in exchange for covering development costs for the site.
Mayor Hansen crediting the work of city council for fast-tracking the permit process to get the project started, calling it a collaborative effort between the city and VRS.
“I would bet that this may be the fastest fast-track project in B.C., maybe even across Canada, said VRS director Melissa DeGenova.
DeGenova says the company will work to make the units affordable to more seniors by engaging with different levels of government for funding.
“Understanding how unaffordable it is to live in B.C. and how many people, especially vulnerable populations like seniors, need affordable housing,” said DeGenova.
The company announced a commitment to make 36 of the 115 units available to seniors at a subsidized rate for those living on fixed incomes.
“I’m excited for the seniors of Fort St. John that there will be more beds available, I know that we need them,” said MLA Dan Davies.
The complex will feature studio, one and two bedroom suites constructed with accessibility in mind.
“There’s accommodation for wheelchairs everywhere in this building,” said Brad Tone, Director of Development for VRS.
Last year, the advocacy group ‘Save Our Northern Seniors’ called on the local government to provide more affordable housing for seniors in a report that highlighted the growing number of seniors facing the risk of homelessness while waitlists for affordable units increased in Fort St. John.
“We will continue to advocate for seniors and for anybody in our community that needs a place to go,” said Margaret Little, President of Save Our Northern Seniors.
A price for the units has not been officially announced, but the company’s website states that services including meals, programming and housekeeping will start at $2500 per month.
The Harlequin is set to open sometime in the summer of 2026.
“The more housing we have the more families can stay together,” said Mayor Hansen.
