16 Jun 2025 Council meeting Housing

Rezoning Application No. RA522 - 1850 Boxwood Road

Motion

That: 1. “Zoning Amendment Bylaw 2025 No. 4500.241” (to rezone 1850 Boxwood Road to allow Personal Care Facility as a site-specific use in the High Tech Industrial [I3]) zone pass first reading; 2. “Zoning Amendment Bylaw 2025 No. 4500.241” pass second reading; and, 3. Council direct Staff to secure the conditions related to “Zoning Amendment Bylaw 2025 No. 4500.241” as outlined in the “Conditions of Rezoning” section of the Staff Report dated 2025-JUN-16, titled "Rezoning Application No. RA522 - 1850 Boxwood Road".

Sources

Agenda itemCity agenda, whole meeting

Staff reportPage 2

Purpose

To present for Council’s consideration an application to amend the High Tech Industrial (I3) zone to allow Personal Care Facility as a site-specific use at 1850 Boxwood Road to facilitate a proposed complex care housing development.

Staff report, page 2

Staff recommendation

That: 1. “Zoning Amendment Bylaw 2025 No. 4500.241” (to rezone 1850 Boxwood Road to allow Personal Care Facility as a site-specific use in the High Tech Industrial [I3]) zone pass first reading; 2. “Zoning Amendment Bylaw 2025 No. 4500.241” pass second reading; 3. “Zoning Amendment Bylaw 2025 No. 4500.241” pass third reading; and, 4. Council direct Staff to secure the conditions related to “Zoning Amendment Bylaw 2025 No. 4500.241” as outlined in the “Conditions of Rezoning” section of the Staff Report dated 2025-JUN-16.

Staff report, page 2

DocumentsStaff report about Housing, Land Use & Urban Form

Sheryl Armstrong Yes

I think complex care is needed. And because the numbers are low, I think they're manageable. And I will wait to see what happens at the public hearing.

Questions and answers

Councillor Erin Hemmens
Yes

asked

Thank you. Thank you, Councilor Hemmens. Thank you, worship. Can I please have confirmation that that staffing ratio is the same for complex care as it is for supportive housing, or are there more staff supports for the complexity of the people living there? Ms Fox. I think maybe, perhaps Lisa from Island Health could speak to the health supports.

City staff answered

That will be on site. Yeah, sure. I can't turn my. Oh, there we go. Thank you. Maybe I'll just back up a second. And in terms of security, there's no plan to have security staff on site. We are working through the different security systems to ensure that staff and all clients are safe. So it is a conversation that's happening around what the building requires. In terms of staff complex care, housing. Phase one has island health, mental health and substance use, and healthcare aids, for example. Reaching into those sites in phase two, we are located. There. That's our home base. That's those teams home bases. The plan at this point is we wouldn't be there 24/7 but we are there extended days and those are again. Kind of dynamic conversations right now. As we understand and have learned a lot from phase one, particularly around what people require in terms of. Nursing services and what level of care they required to do well in those environments. So, as Jen said to staff from BC Housing, the nonprofit, they're twenty four, seven and. We have, fair to say, planned a robust staffing model similar to phase one. So, yeah, you're right. It's housing with, I would say, enhancement plus support. Haven't seen anything. Thank you very much.

Councillor Janice Perrino
Yes

asked

Any Janet councilprino. Sorry. I was just hoping we would get into this a little bit more. I'm just wondering. If you, if someone might be able to explain for the public what complex care is and whether or not, this would be considered a dry facility. I can probably

City staff answered

speak a bit to that. Terms like drive facilities are complicated, for sure. Complex. Care housing is a name that kind of came to us all. What it means for I think me as a mental health and substance use. Nurses, that there are people with complex needs. So many, if not most, might have a history of substance use different, complex. Terrorist sites. Have kind of provided services that. Are kind of targeted to different populations. Compa care housing. Phase one would be considered a lower barrier program. This one. We're looking. To. Providing services, maybe for people who would like to be on that road to recovery. But not a dry facility by any means, no. Okay. Sorry.

followed up

If I may. How long would they be expected to stay in this facility? Would it be a short term?

City staff answered

Or sort of forever. Yeah. We've seen real successes in phase one where people are staying long term and that's. The goal? If people could age in place in those environments and live really well. In a communal environment and maybe even be eligible for long term care down the road, if that's what they required. That would be seen as a real success. Some people may move into market housing, but most will require long term support than have come. From living maybe unsheltered or homeless for some time before. So. That's stabilizing. And. Living in that. Environment indoors is seen as a huge success, so staying there. That

followed up

Would be successful. And just one more. Real. So the wraparound services, of course, would be to help people to get as well as they possibly can be. Would there

City staff answered

be job training and things of that nature? There could be what we've seen in phase one. Is most people in their forty? S and fifty? S younger populations seeking this service as well. It really depends on the level of physical complexities. But yeah. Volunteer job training, hobbies. Just activities of daily living. Flops, if you will. Excellent. Thank