Ḱwaxdzi’dzas Affordable Housing Development
This page was last reviewed on March 11, 2025.
Background
It is a strategic priority of Council to pursue multiple pathways to address housing affordability and availability in the Village. One of Council’s initiatives is to construct an affordable housing multi-family building on a vacant lot beside the Cumberland Lodge and Health Centre at 3345 Second Street near Ulverston Avenue.
In 2020, the Village entered into an agreement to lease this land from Island Health and since then work has taken place to secure funds from BC Housing to build the affordable housing multi-family building. It is unlikely that the building will be constructed without funding from BC Housing. The building is proposed to have at least 30% of units available at below market rent, an average rental price of 80% below median market rent, and to make rentals available to tenants with different income levels.
Zoning for multi-family development for a three-storey building with 22 units was initiated in 2020 and public engagement was held in 2020.
At that time, the Village partnered with the Comox Valley Transition Society and the Dawn to Dawn Action on Homelessness Society. Both organizations contributed significant resources to bring forward the initial 22-unit proposal for funding from BC Housing Community Housing Fund. The call for proposals across the Province at that time was extremely competitive and many applications failed to receive funding. Through that partnership the Village received the gift of two welcome poles created by DługwayaX̱alis (Karver Everson ) and Aaqwasgem (Junior Henderson). The poles were raised at the community’s Peace Park in 2023 and recognize the ancestral lands on which the Village is located and the resilience of a culture and people that have been caretakers of this land since time immemorial. The poles were created for the Ḱwaxdzi’dzas project and will stand in the park until the completion of the building.
After unsuccessful applications for funding to BC Housing, the Village is now looking to amend the zoning to increase the permitted number of units to allow for approximately 34 units on the parcel and to allow for a fourth storey.
In November 2024, the Village partnered with M’akola Housing Society to submit a proposal for anticipated funding calls from BC Housing, and to then lead the development, construction and operations of the project. M’akola Housing Society is an Indigenous non-profit Society with 40 years of experience in affordable housing operations and asset management. The Society operates over 1600 units of housing across British Columbia, including approximately 80 units in the Comox Valley.
2024 Proposal to Change the Zoning to Permit Four Storeys and up to 34 Units
The Village is proposing to amend the RM-4 – Residential Multi-Family Zone for the parcel to permit an increase in height from three to four stories to allow for an affordable rental apartment building. The primary purpose of the height increase is to strengthen the application to BC Housing to fund construction.
To accommodate this height increase, the RM-4 zone will also be amended to increase the permitted number of units per hectare to allow for approximately 34 units on this lot to reflect the additional units on the fourth floor.
The zone will set a minimum number of 8 onsite parking spaces for this lot. In addition, 14 public parking spaces will be constructed on Second Street for this development. One parking space will be reserved for a car share vehicle.
The property is currently zoned to permit a three storey multi-family apartment building with 22 units. Most of the mature trees on the site will be retained.
This application also proposes to amend Development Variance Permit 2020- 08-DV to allow the reduction to the rear yard setback of 2.0 m for the fourth storey.
A public information meeting was held for the rezoning on December 10, 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions – 3345 Second Street
View the Notice of Zoning Amendment Bylaw, January 2025
Notice of Development Variance Permit Amendment – 3345 Second Street
Draft Development Variance Permit Amendment
Notice of Public Information Meeting for 3345 Second Street
Public Information Meeting Display Boards December 10 2024
View the building concept plans
Housing Agreement (3345 Second Street) Bylaw No. 1193, 2023
Lease Agreement 3345 Second Street
Access Agreement 3345 Second Street
Find out more about the background and current status of this development
March 11, 2025: Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 1223, 2025 will return to a Council meeting for Council to consider third reading and adoption once staff has concluded discussions with VIHA about shared parking. If adopted, the bylaw would permit the addition of a fourth storey to the affordable housing building.
January 13, 2025, Report to Council
Council gave first and second reading to Zoning Amendment Bylaw 1223 to permit addition of a fourth storey to the affordable housing. Council also supported, in principle, amendments to the housing agreement to increase the number of Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA) staff dedicated units from 4 to 6, and expand requirement that staff are employed within the Village of Cumberland to within the Comox Valley Regional District, and direct staff to pursue locating up to 12 parking spaces for 3345 Second Street on the adjacent VIHA-owned lot.
October 28, 2024, Report to Council (Item 10.2)
Council approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) agreement between M’akola Housing Society and the Village of Cumberland for the Society to be the proponent for the affordable housing development at 3345 Second Street; and authorized the Mayor and Chief Administrative Officer to execute the MOU.
Council also committed the Village to working with M’akola Housing Society on the affordable housing development at 3345 Second Street, including establishing a long-term mortgageable interest for the Society to lever funding and financing, and support for funding applications.
September 9, 2024 Report to Council (Item 7.3)
Council direct staff to bring back a zoning amendment bylaw to allow for a fourth floor in the zone for the 3345 Second Street affordable housing development.
Sep 11, 2023 Report to Council (Item 7.1)
Council approved a Development Permit (2020-11-DP) and Development Variance Permit (2020-08-DV) for the property legally described as Lot A, District Lot 24, Nelson District, Plan EPP103460 (3345 Second Street)
July 10, 2023 Report to Council (Item 8.1)
Council adopted Official Community Plan Amendment Bylaw No. 1136, 2020 and Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 1137, 2020 to permit three storey multi-family building on the parcel.
May 8, 2023 (Item 8.2)
Council adopted a bylaw to authorize a housing agreement with Island Health.
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