The Sunshine Coast is getting a new community services hub to fill a critical social infrastructure gap after an investment of more than $3 million from the federal government.

“The Sunshine Coast Community Services Society has been providing much-needed programming and services to residents living along the Coast  50 years – often helping our community’s most vulnerable people. We are proud to support the Building Together Project as it will have a meaningful impact on so many people who call the Coast home. This new community services hub will allow the SCCSS to continue being a cornerstone in the region, as well as meet the growing needs of the community, for the next 50 years to come.”

Patrick Weiler Member of Parliament for West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, British Columbia, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

“This community is desperately in need of social infrastructure that supports the health and wellbeing of the whole community. This grant ensures that Community Services is able to deliver that social infrastructure through the provision of a new dedicated place that is safe, inclusive and welcoming for everyone with a focus on supporting folks experiencing crisis, needing support or a place to connect and engage.  All of this has been accomplished within a building designed to mitigate the impacts of climate change.”

Catherine Leach, Executive Director, Sunshine Coast Community Services

• The federal government is investing $3,106,022 through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada announced over $257,000 on December 16, 2022. The Sunshine Coast Community Services is contributing $2,367,147.80.

• The GICB program was created in support of Canada’s Strengthened Climate Plan: A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy. It is supporting the Plan’s first pillar by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing energy efficiency, and helping develop higher resilience to climate change. 

• The program launched in 2021 with an initial investment of $1.5 billion over five years towards green and accessible retrofits, repairs or upgrades. 

• Budget 2024 announced an additional $500 million to support more projects through GICB until 2029.

• The GICB program launched its third intake of applications on August 1, 2024, for small and medium retrofit projects (with eligible costs ranging from $100,000 to $2,999,999); and on September 4, 2024, for large retrofit projects, (ranging from $3 million to $25 million in eligible costs), to upgrade existing community buildings or to create new, energy-efficient buildings.

• Both intake streams will close on October 16, 2024 at 15:00 Eastern Time.

• At least 10% of funding is allocated to projects serving First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, including Indigenous populations in urban centres.

• Federal funding is conditional on fulfilling all requirements related to consultation with Indigenous groups and environmental assessment obligations.

Associated links

• Green and Inclusive Community Buildings
• Strengthened Climate Plan
• Federal infrastructure investments in British Columbia

For more information (media only), please contact:

Sofia Ouslis
Communications Advisor
Office of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
Sofia.ouslis@infc.gc.ca

Media Relations
Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada
613-960-9251
Toll free: 1-877-250-7154
Email: media-medias@infc.gc.ca
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Catherine Leach
Executive Director
Sunshine Coast Community Services
604-885-5881
info@sccss.ca