The repairs and renovations at the Burns Lake Motor Inn, are already underway and BC Housing has said that the homeless shelter will see staggered opening through to the summer of 2023.
According to a spokesperson with BC Housing, they are working with the Six First Nations, to repurpose the Burns Lake Motor Inn into a permanent supportive housing unit. The motel, which consists of 44 units, split evenly between the front and the back of the building, will see staggered opening.
Renovations are currently underway on the units at the back of the building.
“Major repairs include a water main upgrade, which was especially extensive as it included upgrading the water main across the main road, at a cost of approximately $333,000. Additional related upgrades include installing a sprinkler system in the 44 units at a cost of approximately $211,000,” said the BC Housing spokesperson.
Repairs to the back units in the building and are expected to be completed by fall of 2022. After this, BC Housing will start accepting tenants for these units. The repairs to the remaining 22 units at the front the motel, are expected to be completed by the end of summer of 2023, said BC Housing.
“The staggered opening of the units allows for the immediate housing needs of the most vulnerable in the community to be addressed, while providing more time to fully renovate and repurpose the motel,” said the spokesperson.
In April 2020, the Province, through BC Housing, had purchased the Burns Lake Motor Inn in April 2020 to provide homes with supports for people experiencing, or at risk of homelessness in Burns Lake and the surrounding Six Nations.
Last year, the shelter location was used as an Emergency Weather Response (EWR) shelter to address the immediate need for housing during the colder winter months.