Peter Milobar, Kamloops-Centre MLA (image credit - BC Legislature/YouTube)

By Michael Reeve

CHERRY AVENUE APARTMENTS

MLA Milobar takes aim at BC Housing’s Cherry Avenue project during debate on budget

Mar 6, 2025 | 4:28 PM

KAMLOOPS — On Wednesday afternoon (March 5), following question period, Kamloops Centre MLA Peter Milobar stood for his response to the budget and, as finance critic, was allotted 90 minutes to speak.

While the bulk of his speech was focused what he believes are high level issues contained within the NDP budget document, he did hit back on a long-term Kamloops housing project that has seen numerous delays — the 41 units at 435 Cherry Avenue.

“BC Housing, despite the fact that a different motel that they had bought four blocks away a couple years earlier and let that building freeze up over winter, to the point they had to do massive repairs, delay people living in it for a year-and-a-half. I think one building actually had to be torn down because of the water damage. Low and behold, BC Housing let this building freeze up, too, four blocks away. Apparently, they didn’t learn the first time. Maybe they thought four blocks away was a different climate. I’m not sure,” said Milobar to laughter from his Conservative caucus.

Milobar stated he suggested bulldozing the fire damaged apartment when it was purchased by BC Housing in 2023. Now nearly two years later, the building is still under repairs, awaiting its first resident.

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“(Purchased at) three times assessed value — so that was at about $12.5 million at three times assessed value. We are now hearing reports that the original half-million-dollars worth of repairs is now going to be $4.2 million. There may be people living in it this fall — three years after they were supposed to be — and we are not actually confident about that,” stated Milobar. “This has everything to do with the government’s rush to overpay for things and not deliver.”