BC Housing has proposed the development of 900 multi-storey unit projects to be built at Evergreen Terrance, formally known as Blanshard Courts.
This location spans 7.8 acres across Blanshard Street, between Hillside Avenue and Bay Street. The current 196-unit building contains 175 low-income units as well as 21 supportive housing units.
As described, the new buildings would vary in height, with some being 6 storeys, and taller buildings in select locations: three 15 storey buildings and one 20 storey building.
Included would be market rate rentals, low-income housing, supportive housing units, affordable units, geared-to-income rental units.
In addition to housing, public and resident open spaces have been proposed, as well as childcare and resident amenity areas.
Construction will be completed in phases, occurring over the course of 10 to 15 years.
During this time, BC Housing has shared tenant-support plans to ensure that no one currently living at Evergreen Terrace would be without a home during the construction process.
Once the City of Victoria has granted all the required permits, they expect the first phases of construction to start in late 2025 or early 2026.
If a rezoning application is approved at Evergreen Terrace for redevelopment, this would be the organization’s largest investment to date in Greater Victoria.
This development project has been an ongoing planning process since 2022, when BC Housing proposed the initial Evergreen Terrace redevelopment.
They wished to replace the aging buildings with better-quality and sustainable housing, while also avoiding disrupting current tenants as much as possible.
Early stages involved working heavily with community members and tenants to create a shared vision for the future of this location. Through these collaborative efforts, a comprehensive plan and guiding principles were developed.
For more information and to view the proposals, check out BC Housing’s website.
