August 5, 2010
Affordable Housing & Economic Boost for Downtown Victoria

VICTORIA– A former dry cleaning operation site is being cleaned up and redeveloped into affordable housing and commercial real estate that will stimulate economic activity in downtown Victoria thanks to $25,433 from the Brownfield Renewal Funding Program.

“What a great combination of affordable housing and commercial space for businesses to set up shop, encouraging economic activity and the vitalization of our downtown core,” says Oak Bay-Gordon Head MLA Ida Chong.

Once environmental investigations and possible remediation are complete, the owner of the site would like to develop affordable housing units with ground level commercial space.  Located within downtown Victoria, this 0.052 ha site on Quadra Street, between North Park Street and Fisgard Street, is currently vacant, but was previously occupied by a dry cleaner and leather care operation.  Dry cleaning operations occurred on the site for 40 years and the current building located on the site is vacant.

The Province is making $800,000 available through the Brownfield Renewal Funding Program to stimulate land development and economic activity by encouraging remediation of brownfield sites. Brownfields are abandoned, vacant, derelict, or underutilized commercial and industrial properties, where past actions have resulted in actual or perceived contamination. These are sites that have great potential for redevelopment when the issue of contamination is addressed.

In March 2007, the Province announced its Brownfield Renewal Strategy, which included the multi-million Brownfield Renewal Funding Program. In April 2010, the Province announced the third intake for the program and applicants were invited to apply by May 19, 2010. Last year the program approved 17 projects totalling over $1.6 million.

The B.C. Brownfield Renewal Strategy is designed to encourage more brownfield redevelopment across British Columbia. The strategy helps reduce risk and uncertainty in brownfield redevelopment.  The funding program supports the initial environmental work by providing up to $40,000 for preliminary site investigations and up to $125,000 for other types of environmental work. Eligible applicants include First Nations, local governments, non-profits, private companies and individuals.

For more information on the the BC Brownfield Renewal Strategy, please visit www.brownfieldrenewal.gov.bc.ca.

For more information about Ida and the Oak Bay-Gordon Head constituency, visit www.idachongmla.bc.ca

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