November 8, 2020
Watch the McBride and District Housing Society AGM video at https://youtu.be/reLN38tyjF4.
Municipalities and regional districts in B.C. are required to complete housing needs assessments. Housing needs assessments are a way for communities and governments to better understand current and future community housing needs. A housing needs report is critical to developing a housing strategy to support applications to BC Housing to meet funding opportunities with new builds, and/or renovations of a variety of affordable housing projects across the province.
In October 2019, the Village of McBride initiated a Housing Needs Assessment. The intent of the study was to meet both the new provincial requirements for Housing Needs Assessments as well as BC Housing requirements. The document presents the following:
Key data required by the Province:
The Village of McBride would like to thank all community members for their input into the Village of McBride Housing Needs Assessment Report. There were sixty-five individuals who participated in focus groups and a town hall meeting. As well, a housing survey was distributed, and the Village received 158 responses to it.
Please take some time to look at the Village of McBride Housing Needs Assessment Report and other supporting documents:
Please fill out the McBride and Area Needs and Demand Assessment Survey HERE.
Residents will find information about McBride's new Housing Society, supports and incentives for home owners, information about wood burning appliances and much more.
Vision, Mission and Strategic Plan: housing society mission statement
Chairperson of the newly formed society is Jackie Edwards. Jackie can be reached by email at: jackie.c.edwards@gmail.com
Stay tuned for more information on what the McBride and District Housing Society is up to.
The following programs help seniors make their homes safer, more accessible, and more energy efficient.
Home Adaptations for Independence
Home Adaptations for Independence helps low-income seniors and people with disabilities finance home modifications for accessible, safe and independent living. Eligible homeowners, renters and landlords can receive up to $20,000 per home in the form of a forgivable loan.
For more information, visit: Home Adaptations for Independence
BC Seniors' Home Renovation Tax Credit
The BC Seniors' Home Renovation Tax Credit is a refundable personal income tax credit to assist individuals aged 65 and over with the cost of certain permanent home renovations, effective for the 2012 and subsequent tax years.
For more information, visit: BC Seniors' Home Renovation Tax Credit
Other Home Improvement Assistant Programs Include:
EfficiencyBC - Renovation Program
EfficiencyBC is a new Provincial program offering financial incentives, information and support to help households and businesses save energy and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by switching to high-efficiency heating equipment and making building-envelope improvements. The $24M program is co-funded with the federal government under the Low Carbon Economy Leadership Fund.
The EfficiencyBC website is B.C.’s online hub for homeowners and businesses to access information, incentives and support to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in new and existing homes and buildings.
For more information, visit: EfficiencyBC
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Green Home Program
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Green Home program helps make energy-efficient housing more affordable.
For more information, visit: Green Home Program
The Provincial Wood Stove Exchange Program changes out old, smoky wood stoves for cleaner heating options including heat pumps, gas or pellet stoves and cleaner-burning wood stoves. The program, which is administered by PGAIR in Prince George, offers discounts and rebates to promote exchanges, as well as education to support residents to operate wood burning appliances efficiently.
The 2019 PGAIR Wood Stove Exchange Program is now open! Eligible residents of Prince George or the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George (unincorporated areas only - the Villages of McBride and Valemount are not eligible) who exchange their old smoky wood stove for a new emission- certified wood stove can receive a $500 rebate and those exchanging to a qualifying natural gas, propane, electric or pellet appliance can receive a $650 rebate.
Check out the PGAIR Wood Stove Exchange Program WEBSITE so see if you qualify and to apply to the program.
Do you need your wood burning appliance (wood burning stove, furnace, fireplace) inspected under the Wood Energy Technical Training Program (WETT)? The Village of McBride/RDFFG Building Inspector is certified to perform a WETT Site Basic Visual Inspection (Level1) which includes all readily accessible components without the use of specialized tools or taking apart any components/walls.
For more information or to book an inspection call the Building Inspector at 250-569-4211.