Silvercrest Suites (Image Credit: CFJC Today)
B.C. HOUSING

B.C. Housing purchase Silvercrest Suites leaves resident uncertain for the future

May 11, 2022 | 4:21 PM

KAMLOOPS — The provincial government has announced that B.C. Housing is providing approximately $10 million to Oncore Seniors Society to finance the purchase of the five-storey Silvercrest Suites building on the North Shore.

The province says the partnership will ensure the building won’t be sold to a private developer and preserve 53 units of affordable rental housing for seniors.

Oncore Seniors Society assumed ownership and operation of the building. Not much has changed since the residents were informed about the sale two weeks ago, expect for a change in security.

“I don’t think anybody is really worried at this point, until we get some questions answered nobody is really jumping to conclusions. Doesn’t seem like anything has really changed in the day-to-day, other than we’re not quite getting the security we used to have. They let go the guy that locks everything up at night and we have had a number of issues with break-ins in the past couple of months,” said Silvercrest resident Todd Yamulik.

Oncore has scheduled a meeting on Thursday (May 12) with the residents to discuss the takeover. The province says current tenants will not be displaced by the acquisition and monthly rents will remain the same but those calling the building home still have plenty of questions for the new operators.

“Is it going to be subsidized housing through B.C. Housing? Are they going to continue the current rental rates? And the other question would be are they going to maintain the 55 and over? Because this building it’s kind of a safe, secure place for elderly. As soon as B.C. Housing becomes involved a lot of people are concerned they may move in some other people that they need to house, people at risk or what have you,” added Yamulik.

CFJC Today reached out to B.C. Housing, but it did not to provide comment on the story prior to our deadline.