B.C. earmarks $1.1B to retrofit its stock of social housing
By On-Site Staff
Financing Green Construction
B.C. Premier John Horgan announced the spending plan Nov. 22. PHOTO: Province of B.C./Flickr
VICTORIA—British Columbia has set aside $1.1 billion over the next decade to upgrade its stock of social housing.
With a focus on emissions, the retrofits aim to improve building efficiency and reduce energy use. The province pointed to boiler and electrical system upgrades, door and window replacements, as well as building envelope repairs as some of the projects the funding will help pay for.
Along with improving the energy efficiency of certain social housing projects by as much 50 per cent, B.C. said the investments will help create jobs for the construction industry. All told, the province estimates the work will create 7,700 direct and indirect jobs over 10 years.
B.C. has approximately 51,000 publicly-funded social housing units.
